Keyboards
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: [Please note trigger warnings! Rated M for this reason!] A delicate Internet friendship begins to unfold between two girls who might already be closer than they know. But there's a lot that can be hidden behind the screen of a computer, and there is only so much that messages and online chats can do.
1. Chapter 1

**Here we are with another old-rp-turned-fanfic!**

 **Let me just state right off the bat that I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea.** **But please understand these replies were written between two people, over days and weeks and months, during our free time, between school and work and whatnot. The replies are meant to be quick and carry the story bit by bit over a long period of time/multiple days.**

 **So if the story seems oddly-paced or too long or drawn-out at some parts, try thinking about it in terms of its original form as a roleplay, not as a full-fledged fanfic.**

 **This story will feature a lot of _italicized and bolded_ lines for handling text messages and computer chats. So to keep things simple, Blake's parts will begin underlined while Weiss' will remain untouched. It's also a normal life AU, no huntsmen or Grimm or Faunus.**

 **Additionally, along with the usual drama,** **this story will handle more mature and triggering themes, so do take care in proceeding.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Keyboards

Chapter 1.

Weiss Schnee was as high up on the social ladder as most people in her town could get.

Her father ran a very prestigious furniture company, and her last name was well-known by all. She went to school, but otherwise was home getting lectured by private tutors. She was home a lot inside that mansion, but that didn't mean people didn't know who she was, nor did it mean people weren't intimidated by her.

And rightfully so.

She was quick-witted, short-tempered, and perhaps even a bit hot-headed. Certainly nothing short of conceited.

And she ran a _very_ renown blog.

After only a year of having it, she already had over 8,000 followers. She often posted pictures of herself and blogged about whatever piqued her interest. She was like a celebrity, and for the most part, she absolutely loved it.

But even celebrities have their troubles.

. . .

Blake Belladonna was about as low on the social ladder as was possible without completely dropping off of it altogether.

She was the daughter of a well-off couple; her father was a local photographer and her mother worked in hotel management. She wasn't rich but she wasn't poor - she lived comfortably.

She went to the local high school, but even then she was a nobody. Outside of her small circle of friends she was practically unknown. She was bookish, shy, intelligent, and averse to confrontation - a humble person if there ever was one.

And she maintained a small blog where she kept up with what was going on in the world. She only had a handful of followers, mostly just friends who knew her in real life.

She didn't follow too many other people. She was very selective.

But there was one blog in particular she was in love with and made sure to see every post of.

. . .

Weiss' days followed a set routine. She'd wake early to get ready for school, eat breakfast, and freshen up before Winter needed to get into the bathroom. During her spare time before she needed to get to the bus stop, Weiss would go online briefly, scroll through her blog and see what she'd missed overnight.

She often posted pictures of her outfits each day, and she'd sit and watch as the number of "likes" and "reshares" climbed higher and higher.

There was one blog she noticed that was often the first to like her photos, but she couldn't remember the username off the top of her head. It was just another random person on the Internet, after all.

After her morning routine at home, she'd head off to school quickly, usually before her father woke up.

She made sure to avoid him as much as possible.

. . .

Blake's schedule didn't really change much day by day.

She got up early and just relaxed in her bed before taking a shower. After that she would dress and eat her breakfast and make her school lunch.

By then she would have a little time before school to check her own blog and her _favorite_ blog.

Most of the time the owner of the blog would post pictures of their outfit, and as soon as it was posted Blake liked and reshared it. She didn't think for a minute that the girl who ran the blog noticed her, but she was happy to like the pictures.

After that she would leave for school, and then wait for it to end so she could return home and continue relaxing in her room.

. . .

At school, Weiss was expected to do many things.

She was on the Student Council, though not yet experienced enough to be its president. But it was arguable that she did more work than the current president. She was on top of every event, every assignment, ready to help every student in need of assistance. She'd been raised to be responsible for herself and for others, and she liked to believe she was putting her skills to good use.

Her grades were essential. They needed to be perfect, or else she'd be punished. Sometimes severely.

Which was why she was always at the top of her game, putting in her full effort. Her only time for relaxing and unwinding was when she could sit down at her computer and simply forget the rest of the "real" world for a while every night.

. . .

At school, Blake wasn't really expected to do much of anything.

She was a smart student and passed all of her classes, but she really didn't have a particular interest in anything. She wasn't involved with any of the clubs, and the only extracurricular activities she did were track and field.

Her grades were important, but if she slipped up a little it was no big deal. Her parents were understanding.

Her favorite time of the day was when she got home and could relax in front of her computer, surfing the web, watching videos, and viewing her favorite blog every night.

. . .

Weiss loved her blog; loved the popularity she got from it. It wasn't so much vanity as it was feeling she was important, special, _needed_ somehow. She liked feeling that she actually mattered, and online to thousands of total strangers was ironically where she felt that most.

But even online, it was a bit disheartening at times. People only seemed to like her photos and posts about her successes.

Yet she didn't only post about the good things. Sometimes she needed an outlet to vent, and she turned to the Internet for that.

Whenever she posted something about her troubles or the stress she was experiencing, she was more or less ignored by the people online. Whenever she posted about her insecurities or struggles, people blew her off like she didn't exist, both in real life and online.

However, there were always a few anonymous messages she'd receive, telling her how amazing she was, that she could pull through whatever was happening. Without fail, those always came through when she needed to read things like that.

She liked those people - whomever they were - and wished she could discover them, but they never revealed their identities to her.

. . .

Blake was happy with her blog. Not many people knew about it, but she liked it regardless. It was her way of staying connected to the rest of the world even when she was alone in her room. She didn't mind that she did so in obscurity.

Her favorite blogger would post stories about her successes in life along with pictures of herself. And sometimes though she would vent in a post, rant about anything and everything that was bothering or upsetting her.

Blake noticed those posts didn't garner the same amount of attention; they faded away because most people didn't care.

Blake did though. She would always see those posts and send a message of encouragement and support. She always hid behind the mask of anonymity though, afraid to be found out. She was nervous of what the owner of the blog would say if she learned about who was sending her messages.

. . .

Weiss had been going through a very stressful time in her life as of recently. Midterm exams were coming up, and being in high school, she had tests in eight different classes. On top of that, she had plenty of Student Council work to take care of, not to mention her chores, and-

- _other_ family matters.

Avoiding her father wasn't easy, but Weiss did it whenever she could. Unlike her sister.

Winter was the "perfect" child, daddy's little girl. She was always one A+ ahead of Weiss, she'd been president of the Student Council when she was in high school, and she was getting a job soon. She'd set the bar so high for Weiss, she felt she couldn't even see it, let alone reach it.

Before bed that night, Weiss opened her laptop and sat down at her desk, hands pulling at her bangs in her usual nervous habit. She didn't blog much tonight, and her final post was short and uninformative, hidden under a cut.

 ** _I'm so tired. There's so much to do... What if I can't finish everything...?_**

. . .

Blake hung out her house that day, just messing around online. Midterms were coming up, but she wasn't too worried about it; she usually did well without having to study.

She was a little disappointed when her favorite blog didn't have much activity that day. It was only at night, right when Blake was getting ready to sign off, when she saw a post.

She read it right away and instantly felt for the other girl, a girl she had never met. Going to the blog's main page she went through her usual routine of sending support.

 ** _Don't worry. You may have a lot to do, but I believe you'll get it done. You're really amazing!_**

. . .

Weiss had been about to log off, but before she could do so, she saw the little red (1) over her inbox, indicating she had received a message.

She hesitated; she was always anxious whenever she got a message after posting something personal about her troubles. She was scared it'd be a cruel message telling her to "stop whining and just get over it" or worse, a message telling her to do something much more drastic.

She'd gotten one of those before, a message that said " _just kill yourself then_ ". It had frightened her more than anything, and she'd almost broke down crying.

But she'd always get so many more supportive messages, mostly anonymous.

Which was why she never disabled the option. Whomever was sending her kind messages was too shy to do it without hiding their identities. Weiss couldn't deny she needed those people in her life, and if keeping them anonymous was the only way to do it, she'd comply.

Presently, something compelled her to gather her courage. So she checked her new message.

She was glad she did.

It was another kind anonymous message, but there was something about the writing style that told her it was the same person who'd been supporting her for months now. She could tell who they were by the way they typed, but she had too many followers for her to be able to go through each blog and check how each person wrote to compare.

Weiss truly wanted to find out who this particular person was, and yet a part of herself wanted to keep them a secret. She was scared that revealing them would cause them to leave and stop speaking to her, and Weiss couldn't afford that.

She closed her laptop and went to her bed, feeling a bit better about her troubles now; even if everything else in her life was going wrong, at least there was still one person who cared.

. . .

After Blake sent her message, she smiled to herself a little. Closing her laptop, she got ready to go to bed, happy that she could hopefully brighten someone's day.

She knew how terrible and mean people could be on the Internet. Behind the mask of anonymity, many people resorted to nasty words and bullying. But behind the same mask, Blake felt comfortable enough to be supportive towards someone she didn't know, yet stilled cared about.

. . .

When she woke the next morning, Weiss remembered the kindness that had seen her to sleep the night before. She really wanted to know who that particular person was, simply so she could thank them properly, perhaps give them a name.

But her little computer problems would have to wait, because life was throwing so much more at her now.

Today was her first day of midterms, and thus a shortened day at school. She took her three exams in a manner that was unusual for her. She'd typically tackle these sort of things with poise and confidence.

But today she was pulling at her hair, feet shifting, mind whirling as she remembered her father's threats; threats that he'd more or less disown her if she didn't get perfect scores on every test.

She forced herself to sit through the exams, checking and rechecking her answers a dozen times, making absolutely _sure_ they were all correct.

When the students were dismissed, Weiss rushed to the restroom, flung open a stall, and retched up her breakfast. She hoped some of her anxieties would go with it, but those seemed to stay.

. . .

Blake woke up that morning feeling happy that she had given someone a positive message the night before.

Today was the first day of midterms, which meant shortened classes. Plus, she only had two midterms today so she got to leave even earlier. She hurried to school if only for the sake of hurrying back home.

Of course during the exams Blake was bored. The first two classes were easy ones that she hadn't bothered studying for.

Partway through her mind started to wander back home and what she would do online when she got back. First things first, she would check on her favorite blog, of course.

. . .

It was a few minutes after all the bile had worked its way up her throat. But she was nervous that someone else might walk in to hear her. That would be all kinds of bad, _especially_ if it was a teacher that found her. They'd call home and tell her father, and he'd yell at her for certain. Her sister Winter handled all of her responsibilities without getting sick, so Weiss had to do so as well.

She coughed again, grabbing a handful of toilet paper and wiping it over her mouth. There were hot tears running down her face, and she tore off another sheet to clear them away. She blew her nose and tossed it into the water before flushing, lest the scent of it all make her nauseous all over again.

Weiss then closed the seat and sat heavily on top, burying her face in her hands as she tried to catch her breath before she would need to go out and find her bus for the ride home.

. . .

 **Blake finished her** test with about thirty minutes left. Pulling out the book she always carried with her, she immersed herself in the fantasy world of the story.

After about ten minutes she decided to escape to the bathroom. She stood, quietly walked over to the door, and signed out, leaving the classroom as others started to finish their exams. The hallways were quiet, as every classroom was filled with testing students.

When she entered the bathroom she immediately smelled something off; it was very different from the usual smells of a high school bathroom. She almost left, but knew better than to do so without investigating.

When she looked in the first stall, she found a vaguely familiar girl sitting at the toilet, tear stains on her cheeks and toilet paper covering her mouth.

. . .

Weiss had rushed into the stall so quickly at the time, she hadn't realize she'd neglected to lock the door. It creaked open a bit now, and she was about to get up to close it, needing a bit more time to recover. She staggered to her feet, a hand still covering her mouth with paper.

But the sound of the main door opening caused her to freeze. She was too slow to close her stall's door, and a girl appeared before her. She had long, wavy black hair and was dressed casually, and if she was allowed to go to the restroom now, that meant she'd finished her exams early. Her eyes were a particularly alluring color, like pools of honey.

But Weiss was in no condition to appreciate this girl's charms.

She stood halfway out of her stall and slowly lowered her hand, panting slightly as the paper fell. Surely, the smell in the air still lingered, and Weiss didn't think there was anything she could do to prevent this girl from asking questions.

But she could still try.

Weiss straightened her back and brushed past the other student, stopping by the sink to support herself a bit. She looked warily back over her shoulder, sending a silent plea for the other girl not to make a scene of things to the teachers.

"I've cleaned things up," she mumbled. "You don't… need to tell anyone, okay?"

Weiss turned away, pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, wetted it under the sink, and dabbed it over her face. A small sob echoed about the tiled walls, but she didn't look back at the girl again, not even through the mirror.

. . .

Blake watched the other girl stand shakily and walk on unsure legs past her. She was shorter, with long snow-white hair and eyes like pools of pure water. She was dressed like a young professional and her makeup was applied perfectly. Blake felt she'd seen her around here or there.

But there were small things Blake noticed that disturbed the girl's put-together image. Her eyes were watering and the makeup was slightly smudged, her hair had strands sticking out and her clothes were slightly wrinkled.

In spite of her innate shyness, Blake couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"Hey, let me help you. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." She cautiously approached the girl. "You cleaned the bathroom up... let me help clean you up."

. . .

Weiss hesitated for a moment, listening. She didn't know what to do; as much as she would've liked the help, she was worried that somehow all of this might get back to her father.

She was about to refuse the girl's offer when another pang went through her chest. Weiss whimpered and put a hand to her collar, blinking more tears from her eyes. She released a withering sigh, maintaining a firm stance turned away form the other girl.

"Fine…" she wheezed. "Just, _please_ … you can't tell anyone."

If she was honest with herself, Weiss knew she needed the help, if not just the presence of someone who wouldn't yell at her or be disappointed at her for having worried herself sick.

. . .

Blake waited for the other girl to consent to the contact, not wanting to anger or scare her. When she received that consent, she carefully reached out and adjusted the shorter girl's clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles.

"So... what's wrong?" Blake asked quietly after a moment. "Er, y-you don't have to talk if you don't want to," she added quickly. She tucked away the stray white hairs sticking out from the girl's otherwise-perfect white ponytail.

. . .

The hands on her blouse weren't rough, nor did they yank when they went to her hair. The other girl was very gentle, her touch soft and soothing, helping release some of the tension that had coiled up inside of Weiss.

But the question she asked had Weiss freezing up all over again. At the very least, this girl deserved an explanation; Weiss just didn't know how to give it to her.

She contemplated for a moment, chewing her lip and the inside of her cheek. She wanted to open up - to tell _someone_ what she was dealing with. But again, she was scared of it somehow getting back to her father. Besides, what good would telling some stranger do?

"It's just stress…" she muttered. "This doesn't happen often, but it's not the first time either. I'm used to it."

. . .

"Hey, don't worry about it," Blake said. She was relieved the girl had replied at all. "We all get stressed out, especially around exam time. Sorry if it's not really my place to say... but maybe you should try easing up on yourself. This isn't healthy."

Blake finished fixing the other girl's hair. Reaching past her, she grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and ran it under warm water for a second.

"Hold still now."

Blake softly padded the paper towel at the corners of the white-haired girl's mouth, as if she'd been taking care of her for years already.

. . .

Weiss almost laughed bitterly at her own answer to this girl's question.

 _"Just stress."_ If it were as simple as that, Weiss would've simply shrugged it off and continued with her life. These weren't just normal levels of stress; the vomiting was slowly becoming normal for her, it seemed.

But again, she didn't dare speak any of it to this stranger.

It was almost funny; this girl spoke as if Weiss had the luxury or the _option_ to "ease up on herself."

She sighed bitterly and closed her eyes, willingly keeping still as the girl ran a paper towel over her face, cleansing off the last few bits of grime. Weiss breathed deeply, but it didn't satisfy her like she'd hoped it would. It was times like these she just wished she could wrap her arms around herself and fall asleep.

She must've still been delirious from the brief sickness she'd suffered, because she wasn't in conscious control of her body. Her arms reached out toward the other girl, longing for some form of contact, needing something to hold onto-

But she caught herself, eyes flying wide open as she recoiled sharply.

"S-Sorry…" She stepped away from the girl, her eyes going to the floor. "Thanks for your help. You should go…"

. . .

Blake finished wiping the girl's face off, cleaning off the smudged makeup and grime. "There. All done," she said with a smile as she threw the paper towel in the trash can.

The girl's motion to reach out for her surprised Blake. It was like she was half-asleep for a moment, unaware of what she was doing before she snapped back into reality.

As the white-haired girl apologized, it was Blake's turn to act without thinking. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her carefully.

"You don't need to apologize. Seems to me you've been working really hard in school and everything. I think it's amazing."

. . .

She'd initially feared that her seeking comfort would lead to ridicule, that this girl would step away and glare at her or call her out on it.

Weiss was nothing short of surprised when she felt arms slip around her torso and back.

She… couldn't remember the last time she'd been hugged, and she froze up, almost in fear. She wasn't sure if she should return the contact or break away.

But she did know one thing for certain.

It felt really, really nice. To have someone else shield her from the world for a moment, to be able to feel another heartbeat against her own, to feel that warmth…

And her words.

Weiss felt like she'd heard them somewhere before, but she couldn't dig up the memories just yet.

She released a shaky sigh over the girl's shoulder.

"Just… just remember. You can't tell _anyone_ about _any_ of this."

It was too hard to say 'thank you', and she hated that.

. . .

Blake held the other girl in the hug for another few moments, willing her to calm down a little. And she listened.

"I promise I won't tell anyone. Just... maybe promise _me_ you'll take care of yourself?" Pulling away from the hug, Blake looked down at the girl and smiled. She hoped the kind words and actions would improve things, even if it was just a little.

. . .

The embrace was coming apart, and Weiss sighed. But she felt much better than any other time this had happened - usually, she'd have to clean herself up and limp away to catch her bus.

But there were no residual feelings of nausea this time, almost as though she'd never been sick at all.

She knew that would be short-lived, so she savored it now.

"Right. I'll take care of myself," she muttered. "You do the same."

She gathered her book bag and slung it over her shoulder before making for the door. But Weiss paused just as she opened it, and she looked back over her shoulder.

"And… thank you... for all of this…"

With that, she hurried off down the hall.

. . .

Blake smiled as the white-haired girl left the bathroom, happy that she had helped someone else even if it was just a little bit.

Something about that girl seemed familiar to Blake, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. She only knew the other girl was one of the popular crowd, someone that was well off, but not much more.

Now that she was alone, Blake realized she'd been gone from the classroom for a while already. Checking her phone, she found that school was almost over and that she still needed her stuff. She finished up in the bathroom quickly before hurrying back to her classroom.

* * *

 **A/N: I've edited both parts despite originally only writing Weiss', just because this was written several years ago, and I wanted to make things a bit more up-to-date with the series canon (like regarding Weiss' family).**

 **WARNING: Chapter 2 will deal with mature and triggering themes. Please proceed with caution.**

 **Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNING : This chapter will deal with very heavy, mature, and triggering content. Please read at your own discretion.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2.

When she finally reached her bus, Weiss hobbled on and got a seat near the front, slouching against the back of the seat. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, the knot in her stomach having vanished for the most part.

Now it was just the usual unease that came with going back home, how she'd need to avoid her father at all costs, lest he was in a bad mood again.

No one sat next to her as per usual, and as the bus took off, Weiss replayed in her mind what had happened in the bathroom just now. She remembered those gentle words and gentle arms as though her life depended on it.

It was only then she realized she'd failed to ask the other girl her name.

. . .

Blake walked onto the bus with her head up, nodding to the driver. She took her usual seat at the middle and put her headphones on, drowning out the loud people around her.

She knew her parents wouldn't be home so she would have a few hours to herself. Already she was planning on getting online to check her favorite blog and watch some videos.

The bus took off as she thought about the girl she had helped in the bathroom. She just thought now how she had forgotten to ask what the other girl's name was.

. . .

The bus dropped Weiss off at her house, and she mumbled a farewell to the driver as she stepped off. It was getting a bit dreary out, and Weiss was starting to feel the effects of the sour weather dragging her down. She rushed up to the door, fumbled for her key, and pushed inside, shaking herself off in the parlor.

She jumped when she heard a shout from a deep voice - none other than her father. Weiss turned to him and quickly apologized for getting water on the floor, and she hurried to the kitchen to get supplies to clean it up.

After that, Weiss frantically tended to her chores, which involved cleaning up several of the house's rooms. Winter - being the older and more successful daughter - only had to take care of her own room, while Weiss was stuck with just about everything else. Whitley was "too busy with his homework" to be assigned chores.

But the thought of the freedom that came after the work motivated Weiss, just as it always did. After she'd prepared herself dinner, she would eat it alone and then retreat to her room to complete her homework and go online, where she felt most comfortable.

With those thoughts in mind, she made haste as she swept the kitchen floor just as it started to thunder outside.

. . .

The bus dropped Blake off a few blocks from her house. It wasn't a long walk, and it was one she made all the time. She leisurely strolled home, unlocking the door and walking inside when she reached her modestly-sized house.

She had a few hours to herself and only a few chores to take care of around the house. It was just herself, a small cat, and her parents, so the house was never too messy and was easy to clean. For now Blake would go online and relax a little bit before taking care of her chores.

. . .

After about an hour, Weiss had finished cleaning things up. She needed to make sure everything was thoroughly spotless, lest her father reprimand her for leaving so much as a speck of dust on any inch of his mansion. Her sister never showed herself; Winter worked from her room and only appeared for meals or to talk with their father.

At long last, Weiss went to the kitchen to start preparing her own dinner.

It was a simple mistake, but one that would cost her.

A blast of thunder startled her, causing Weiss to drop the glass she'd been holding. It shattered deafeningly, echoing throughout the entire house.

Naturally, her father heard the sound and his bellowing shout had Weiss freezing in terror.

He stormed in screaming, and would hear none of Weiss' profuse apologies. She knelt down to shakily pick up the pieces with bloodied hands as his booming voice continued to crash down on her even louder than the thunder did.

His words cut deeper than the glass ever could.

 _Worthless._

 _Good for nothing._

 _A mistake._

That was all she ever was to him.

Weiss let out a sob as she tossed the glass shards into the garbage and fled for the stairs, praying he wouldn't follow.

. . .

Blake checked the time on her laptop. She had been on for a little over an hour now.

Standing up, she cracked her back before walking into the kitchen. She grabbed a quick drink of water before starting her chores.

First she swept the kitchen floor, then she put food into the cat's dish. A crack of thunder caused her to spill some pellets on the floor.

"He'll get it," she mumbled as she stepped over it and placed the food dish in its normal spot.

Then was her least favorite job, cleaning the litter box. She did it as quickly as she could to get it over with.

And before she knew it she was back in her room, ready to relax.

. . .

She scrambled up the stairs and dashed to her room, not even bothering to turn on the lights as she slammed the door behind herself. Weiss rushed to her bed and threw herself down, stifling her sobs into her pillow as the thunder continued to blast angrily overhead. She was terrified, mostly of her father following after her.

But it was a small mercy that she didn't hear his footsteps even after several minutes. He left her alone, just as he always did.

Weiss clutched at her sheets, but let out a cry of pain when she felt her skin tear. Looking down, she discovered she'd run off with a large shard of the broken glass still in her palm. A long, deep cut coated her hand in blood, and Weiss trembled.

Something snapped within her. And she couldn't tell if it snapped _into_ place or shattered altogether.

Clarity or insanity, she couldn't tell.

She stumbled over to her desk, opened her laptop, signed on with shaking fingers that mistyped every other letter. She didn't check her blog or anyone else's. She simply opened up a blank text post and started to type:

 ** _For anyone who reads past this cut just know that this will be the last you hear from me. I'm tried. I'm scared. And I just can't do this anymore. Goodbye._**

She hid the message under a cut and then posted it.

Then, her eyes went back down to the glass in her hand. Tears dripped onto her upturned wrist.

A soft sob fell from her lips as she grasped the ragged edge in her bloodied hand and stared down at the soft skin. The thunder crashed again, and the tears fell faster.

She just needed to build up her resolve.

. . .

Blake got back on her computer right as a little brightly-colored notification told her that one of the blogs she followed had updated. Refreshing the page, she saw with a trill of happiness that it was her favorite blog.

But something about the post made her instantly uneasy. The post was hidden under a cut that she had to open to view the post, and there were no tags. It was just blank.

She started to read and immediately felt sick.

This wasn't like the other posts, even the ones the owner of the blog would often put under cuts.

Blake knew exactly what they were talking about.

The post had no indications that anyone else had read it. no likes or comments. Blake was the only one right now who knew. Possibly the only person in the whole _world_.

Hands shaking, heart throbbing, she navigated to the blog's main page and started writing a message to the girl who ran the blog:

 _ **Hey, I just saw your post... I'm not sure what's going on but please don't do this. You are beautiful, interesting, and a wonderful person who has so much to live for. People care about you. I care about you, and I want to keep seeing your pictures and reading your posts. Please don't do what you are thinking... Please.**_

Blake sent the message as soon as she was finished. In her rush she forgot to send it anonymously, but she didn't notice.

. . .

Weiss turned the shard of glass around in her palm. Part of her wanted to clean the blood off her hand, but the other part told her within a few minutes, it wouldn't matter.

There'd be a lot more blood than this.

She'd considered it before, attempted it a few times, but this was really it. She wasn't even scared anymore. She had no regrets. No one would really miss her.

Glancing around the room, she wondered… _where_ she should go through with it.

The thunder crashed again and she felt nausea rise up in her throat.

But just before she could push her chair away from the desk, she noticed a little bubble pop up, indicating she had a message. Sniffling, she reached out a shaking hand, hoping the message would give her the last bit of encouragement she'd need to do this.

She clicked.

And she started to sob all over again.

Her eyes were welling with tears, her face drenched and keyboard soaked with them.

She recognized this person's writing style.

This... was the anonymous person who always popped up to send her a message whenever Weiss was feeling down.

Always… this person was there for her.

Weiss thought that… just _maybe…_ this person truly cared.

The shard of glass fell from her hand and clattered to the floor. Weiss folded her arms over her desk and buried her head, stifling her wails to the best of her abilities.

She wanted to… message this person back.

She wanted to believe this was real.

But she wasn't sure if she could.

. . .

Blake just stared at her computer after she sent the message, trembling, wondering what would happen next.

There was nothing else she could _do_ now, no matter how she looked at it. The barrier of the Internet and the physical distance, not knowing who the other person even _was_...

This was all she could do. Just type a message.

She had already offered her kind words, and it was just up to the other person if they would help or not.

Standing up, Blake took a deep breath and decided that she needed to do more chores to take her mind off of it. She couldn't help anymore, and sitting there staring at her computer while worried sick wouldn't do anyone any good.

Grabbing her laundry, she took it out to the washer and put her darks in, trying to imagine things would be all right with that person. Her cat jumped up next to her looking for attention.

"Hey." She spoke softly and scratched under his chin.

Her mind was all over the place. She remembered the girl at school in the bathroom. Blake's kind words had helped her today. She could only hope they'd also help the person on the other end of that blog post.

. . .

It took her a long time to stop crying.

After a while, it finally started to sink in - what she'd almost done.

Weiss was terrified of herself, that she'd ever be so far gone to the point that her mind would need to persuade her heart that there was no other feasible way out than to take her own life.

It was horrifying, how the lapse of one temporary moment could have such permanent results.

Eventually, she pushed away from her desk and stood on wobbling legs. She flicked on a lamp, locating the glass on the floor before she limped out into the hallway, taking refuge in her personal bathroom.

She dropped the glass into the waste bin before going to the sink to clean off her hands and splash cold water onto her face. But she made absolutely certain never to look up at her reflection.

She dried off, wrapped a few band-aids around the cuts in her palm, and hobbled back to her room on quiet feet.

When she returned to her desk, none of it felt real. The images of her own bloodied hands from moments ago, the terror and fading adrenaline she was still feeling... It was all so disorienting.

But nonetheless she felt obliged to message this person, now that she knew the username. She didn't know what to say, so she just let her fingers move freely, if not slowly, across the keys:

 _ **Hello… Please... keep these messages private. But thanks to your message, I didn't go through with what I was intending. I wasn't thinking clearly. You saved me from doing something horrible. I can't ever thank you enough…**_

There was… _so_ much more she wanted to say, but she wanted to wait for a reply first; she needed to make sure this person knew the immeasurable good they had done for her.

She clicked send, and wiped her sleeve over her eyes as she waited.

. . .

Blake took her laundry out of the washer and put it in the dryer. Once the machine started she decided she would go back online and hope that her favorite blog had updated for the better.

It almost didn't feel real. To have seen a message like that posted online in quiet text. It was very different from hearing it from someone's mouth, in an actual voice and with tone and feeling.

It really got her thinking. That the person on the other end could do something horrible - to themselves or someone else - and Blake might never know of it, or be able to do anything about it.

She made it back to her room, and her throat was dry.

When she sat down at her desk, she saw that she had a notification, informing her that she had received a message. She _never_ got messages.

She steeled herself and opened it.

And relief flooded through her to see that it was from her favorite blog, from that person. Blake was instantly overjoyed after reading it knowing that the other girl hadn't gone through with what she had planned.

With tears in her eyes, Blake typed back.

 _ **You don't need to thank me. I'm just so happy that you're thinking clearly now. I'm here if you need me, and I mean that. I have a question, though... How did you know I was the one who sent you the message?**_

. . .

It was a few more minutes of wiping tears and pulling out tissues before Weiss could see her computer screen clearly again. By that time, she noticed she'd received another notification and clicked to read it.

She scoured the words before slowly typing up a reply:

 _ **When you sent your message, you weren't anonymous this time. Which reminds me that I should thank you for all of the times you've sent me encouraging messages in the past, for every little thing I was complaining about, no matter how insignificant it was... I recognized your writing style, but I never knew who was sending these messages until now. So… I've got a lot to thank you for. I owe you my life. What could I ever possibly do to repay you?**_

Just remembering what she'd almost done to herself a few minutes ago had Weiss crying again as she sent her message. She hugged herself in the cold, dark room, knowing it was the best warmth she was ever going to get.

She found herself missing the girl from the restroom today. The girl who had hugged her.

. . .

Blake remained on the same blog screen, tensely awaiting a response. When she got it, she read it immediately.

She mentally chided herself for forgetting to go anonymous. But that didn't really matter anymore. She was happy that things had turned out this way.

 _ **You don't need to repay me. I was just worried that you would do something bad. And you don't need to thank me, either. I love your blog and I always wanted to give you some encouragement.**_

Blake finished her message and sent it. She just stared at her computer, not fully believing that this was happening.

. . .

The reply message arrived before long, and Weiss scanned it before doing her part:

 _ **Like I said, you've always been helping me out, haven't you? It's always you sending those kind anonymous messages. And the few times I disabled the feature, you were too shy to message me in case I found out who you were. I'm sorry your secret was revealed… but if it hadn't been, I might not still be here right now, talking to you.**_

 _ **You're a really wonderful person, and if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to… maybe get to know you better. I feel talking to you properly is the least I can do after you saved my life.**_

 ** _I'm tired, but… I'm scared to go to sleep. I don't want to keep replaying what I almost did to myself just now. If you can stay up a little later, would you mind talking to me a bit more?_**

She felt bad putting pressure on this person, but Weiss felt that just maybe they wouldn't mind exchanging a few more messages with her tonight. So she sent her message and hugged her knees to her chest as she waited.

. . .

Blake noticed the new message as soon as it came in and opened it up. She read it quickly before responding:

 _ **I'm so glad you're still here, so losing my anonymity is a small price to pay. And I would like that. I've followed your blog for a long time and I would be happy to get to know you.** **I don't go to bed until late anyway, so I'll stay up and talk to you as long as you want.**_

Blake sent her message and got comfortable in her seat. There was an odd feeling spreading inside of her, but it felt nice.

It was the feeling of helping someone help themselves.

. . .

It was comforting to know this person wasn't going to leave Weiss alone in her time of need. The storm was still raging on outside and it was evident she wouldn't be allowed to sleep even if she wanted to.

Weiss wiped her eyes one last time to find they were dry at long last, though she still shuddered. When she glanced down, she noticed the band-aids all over her hands, concealing the cuts beneath. She shivered again.

She curled her palm up as she read the reply, pondering what to talk about next with this person.

 _ **Thank you so much. If you need to go at any time, please tell me.**_

 _ **I guess… we should start with introductions... I don't want to give away my real name, but a lot of people online call me Princess. What should I call you?**_

She wanted to say more, but decided to save those things for future messages to make the conversation last longer.

. . .

Blake was ready for the message.

 _ **I don't really have a preference for what you should call me. I can tell you my real name if you want or you can just call me BlackCat. Whatever you're comfortable with.**_

. . .

Weiss considered her options for a moment, wanting to think about this and not answer hastily.

 _ **I'll call you Cat then. I haven't told you my real name, so I wouldn't want you to have to tell me yours either.**_

 _ **I guess… maybe tell me a little about yourself? But you don't have to say anything you don't want to, like where you live or anything. You've probably seen my pictures already, but I'm a girl, and I'm in high school. I do a lot of work at the school because my older sister was very successful there. My father wants me to be as great as her, but it's really stressful. I got sick earlier today.**_

 _ **Sorry. You probably don't want to hear all of these depressing things. You could tell me whatever you'd like about yourself.**_

 _SEND_

. . .

Blake read the message a few times before responding, not wanting to say anything to upset this girl, Princess.

 _ **Well, I'm also a girl in high school. I do something at school but I don't** **have too much going on. My parents are more laid-back and just tell me to do my best.** **It's all right, I don't mind talking about whatever you want... If you don't mind my asking... how are you feeling now?**_

. . .

Weiss wasn't sure how to respond to that. It was _such_ an easy feat to lie via text and words. But she felt that Cat deserved better than that; after all, she'd just saved Weiss' life.

So the girl opted to be honest with her:

 _ **Truthfully... I don't feel very well. I might be sick again because I just keep thinking about what I almost did. I feel like... I can still smell blood.**_

She could've stopped there, but there was something about nighttime that made a person excessively sentimental and quick to open up despite their better judgement. So she continued:

 _ **I don't know. I'm scared something like tonight could happen again, where I won't be thinking clearly and I'll do something stupid again because there's no one there to stop me. I'm scared I won't be able to control myself… I'm scared of myself…**_

. . .

This message from Princess was more weighted, and Blake felt herself frowning, felt that prickle of concern in her gut again. She wanted to comfort Princess, especially after the night the other girl had had.

 _ **Maybe... you could get something to mask the smell. It could help you feel a little better. And I know you're scared of this happening again, but you're wrong about one thing. I'm always here for you, so whenever you feel like you felt tonight, please message me. It doesn't matter what time of day, I will be there for you. I'll answer as soon as I can. I mean it.**_

. . .

Reading those comforting words made Weiss' heart calm. She'd never had anyone tell her such things before. And more than anything, she wanted to believe in this girl, even though she didn't know her.

And her solution to Weiss' problem was a good one. Mask the scent. She heeded Cat's words and got up from her desk, crossing the room to her drawers and pulling out some air freshener scented like lilacs. She spritzed a bit around her desk, then on her bed.

While she was up she gathered the strength to change into her sleepwear and a robe.

When she sat back down at her desk, she inhaled deeply, taking in the comforting scent of flowers as she typed her response:

 _ **That's a lot better. My room smells like flowers now.**_

 _ **And thank you for your offer - I really mean it. But I wouldn't want to burden you anymore than I already have. I don't want you to keep having to worry about me all the time…**_

. . .

Blake rubbed her eyes a little bit. She was a tired from the day at school, but she'd be damned if she let Princess hanging at a time like this. Being a little exhausted from school was nothing compared to what Princess had gone through.

 _ **It's no trouble at all. I want to help. What are friends for after all?**_

 _ **So you said you were involved with extracurricular activities. What are you involved with?**_

Blake shook herself off to make sure she'd be attentive for the reply. She really did want to talk more and to learn about Princess. Anything she could find out could potentially allow her to figure out the right thing to say in the future, should anything like this happen again.

. . .

Weiss felt a bit guilty for some reason, but the word "friends" left her staring at her screen for a good few minutes.

"Does she… really mean that?" she murmured.

No one had ever referred to her as a friend before. And yet, it wasn't so hard to believe when Cat typed it to her. The conversations were already coming naturally, before they'd even realized it.

Weiss did something she never thought she could've done on a night like tonight. She smiled.

 _ **I'm involved with a lot of things in school. My sister was the Student Council President, and I'm trying to get there as well. But right now I'm only working in the higher-up positions.**_

 _ **I'm also in the senior math, science, language, and history clubs as well as the art club, but I'm an underclassman so it's a bit difficult. And I often volunteer before or after school hours to help out the teachers and build up extra credit as much as I can.**_

 _ **What do you do?**_

. . .

Blake read the message her new friend has sent her. It was a long list, and Blake was shocked at first. But then, it was no wonder Princess was stressed to such a drastic degree.

 _ **Wow... you're super busy. Where do you plan on going after high school? With a resume like that you could go just about anywhere you wanted.** **I'm not involved in nearly as much. I take one higher-level class and I volunteer around my town. During the spring I play track and field. I'm a runner.**_

Now that she thought about it, Blake hadn't ever really had this conversation with anyone else before. She didn't really have any friends in her sport or around town. It was peculiar, but it also felt... sort of nice.

. . .

Weiss hadn't really taken her future into consideration all that much; she simply assumed she'd be doing whatever her father ordered her to.

 _ **I'm not sure what I'm doing after high school. My father probably has some Ivy League college picked out for me to go to. I'd like to go to college, but I don't want to go to a big one. But I don't think I have much of a choice. I'll deal with it, though.**_

 _ **I'd like to do what you do. Being involved in the school isn't as great as it may sound. The resume is hardly worth all the stress. I think your kind of schedule is healthier.**_

 _ **And you run? I've never been very athletically-inclined. I can't run very well. My father always made sure I trained my mind, not my body, so I have a weak immune system and get sick very easily.**_

 _ **Maybe someday I'll learn to run and I can run to come meet you, even if you live across the world.**_

It was only meant as a wistful joke, but Weiss had to admit she would've done it if she could.

. . .

Blake was now in the habit of checking her messages every few minutes for a new one. Right when she checked, the little notification button lit up.

 _ **I'm sorry to hear you're so stressed. Maybe talk to your father about it? But even if he doesn't let you lighten your schedule, I believe you can handle it. You're amazing, Princess.**_

 _ **And yeah, I run. I wasn't very good at any other sports, but I've always been fast. So track was a good fit for me, though the coach can be annoying.** _

_**And... I would like that. And if you can't run to meet me, I'll run to you.**_

Blake sent the message with full conviction. She would absolutely run to go meet her new friend if she could.

. . .

Weiss was touched at the reply.

It was true she wasn't very athletically-inclined, but she'd push herself to meet this girl if it was ever possible. And just the fact that Cat offered to come meet her too…

Weiss felt something warm curl in her chest. The smile on her lips stayed.

 _ **Thank you. It's really nice to read you'd come all the way just to meet some random person like me. You've known me for a long time I guess, but I never knew you. I'm following you now, by the way.**_

She glanced at the clock on her computer and whimpered when she realized how late it had gotten. The storm had even started to subside by now.

 ** _…_** ** _I don't know what timezone you're in, but for me it's getting late. I think I'll try to go to bed after all._**

 _ **Honestly... Thank you so much for tonight, Cat. If it's all right… can I message you again tomorrow? I know it's only been one night, but… I really liked talking to you.**_

. . .

Blake saw the time and realized that she needed to go eat and get ready for bed as well.

 _One last reply and then I'll go to bed._

 _ **I never thought that you would follow me. I've been following you for a long time now and it's nice talking to you. You're an amazing person, and I enjoy talking to you as well.**_

 _ **I need to go to bed too. I'm really glad I could help you tonight. And of course it's all right for you to message me. I would love to talk to you more. I mean it.**_

. . .

As she read the reply, Weiss felt a prickling kind of feeling in her chest, but it wasn't unpleasant. It was something she'd never felt before, but she decided instantly that it was a sensation she rather liked.

 ** _All right. Thank you again, Cat. Thank you_** **so** ** _much. Sleep well tonight. I'll message you tomorrow whenever I can._**

She sent her message, closed her laptop, and turned off her lamp, and she had to admit that was hard to do - she wanted to talk more…

But she had school tomorrow, and she needed to focus. She felt she was tired enough where she could just fall asleep after laying down, and hoped that her mind wouldn't be able to dwell on what she'd almost done earlier that evening.

Weiss crawled into bed and rested her head on her pillow. Her eyes closed, and on the backs of her eyelids, her mind replayed the typed conversation she'd just had. Her thoughts wandered as she finally fell asleep.

She imagined writing more and more things to Cat, imagined meeting her, even if it was only in her dreams.

. . .

Blake read the last reply from her new friend and smiled at the words on the screen. She closed her laptop and stood up. Looking out her window, she saw how dark it was outside.

Changing into a night shirt, Blake left her room and went to the kitchen. Her parents still weren't home but they had told Blake they would be working late. Right now her only company was the little black cat who watched her.

"You probably want food."

And while making both her dinner and the cat's, all she could think about was Princess.

When she laid down for bed a few moments later, it was much the same.

* * *

 **A/N: My partner and I had known from the start we'd wanted this roleplay to be more serious and weighted. Upon editing it, I tried to give this chapter a bit more attention, adding in lines here or there that I thought would help make it a bit more realistic for this kind of situation.**

 **I'm sure it's as odd to read a chapter with almost no spoken dialogue as it is to write one, but I hope that didn't take too much away from the story.**

 **Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm glad for everyone who read and is continuing to read! I understand it's rather stiff writing (again, this was done years ago and myself and my partner weren't the best writers at the time haha). And this is a tricky story, since they aren't even physically together.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3.

She fell asleep almost instantly and didn't wake at all throughout the night until morning. When she pushed herself up out of bed, the images of blood on her hands came back to Weiss, and she felt her stomach lurch.

But almost immediately after that were the thoughts of Cat, the kind words she'd typed to Weiss to help her last night.

Weiss got out of bed and started up her laptop. As soon as she could, she went to Cat's blog and sent her a message.

 _ **Good morning, Cat. Thanks to you, I made it through the night. I've got school now so I'll talk to you more in ten hours or so. I hope you have a good day.**_

It would've been embarrassing to send it to anyone else, but Cat deserved Weiss' honest feelings after all she'd done for her.

Heading to the door, Weiss steeled herself before going to the kitchen, glad to find it empty, and she started to prepare breakfast for herself.

. . .

Blake was woken up the next morning when her cat jumped on her bed and started butting his head against her face. Getting up with a groan, she thought about her new friend and wondered how she was doing.

She checked her messages and saw that Princess had sent one to her a little while ago. She smiled as she read it before replying.

 _ **I'm glad to hear you're doing well. I'm looking forward to talking to you later, so you have a good day too!**_

Blake sent the message before the meowing of her cat reminded her that she needed to get ready for school. With one last glance at her laptop screen, she went to go get some breakfast.

. . .

Weiss managed to get out of the house before her father even woke up. It was getting cold outside, and her breath was billowing slightly white. She boarded her bus, and for once the ride to school didn't feel as long as it normally did.

In fact, the entire school day seemed to speed by, and Weiss wasn't complaining at all. She was eager to get home simply so she could check her messages.

For the sake of doing that, she even managed to get most of her homework done on the bus ride home. She scurried to the front door and unlocked it before hurrying directly up to her room. She turned on her laptop and shifted impatiently as the website loaded.

When she saw the little notification button, her heart leapt with excitement, and she hurriedly read through it before replying.

 _ **Today was very nice, actually. It's a little cool outside but still very clear. And… without you last night, I never would've gotten to experience such a nice day. So thank you again.**_

 _ **How was your day? Was school all right? Did you sleep well last night?**_

. . .

The entire day, Blake was eager to get home. This time it wasn't just to check her favorite blog, but mainly to talk to Princess.

The minute school was over she rushed to her bus, more eager to get home than she could recall being for a while. She might have run home if she wasn't wearing a homework-heavy backpack.

As soon as she was home and back in her room, she saw the notification on her blog and clicked.

 _ **You don't need to keep thanking me, talking to you is enough. I'm glad you had a good day today. I slept well and my day was all right. School was a bit boring and I just wanted to get home all day.**_

 _ **The weather is also a little chillier here than I would prefer, but it's not terrible.**_

. . .

Weiss didn't know how long it would be before Cat got online, so she busied herself with her chores and homework for a while. When she glanced at the laptop screen and noticed she had a message, she couldn't have read it faster.

 _ **Yeah, it's going to be winter here soon, too. I can't wait for winter break - three weeks off from school! I tell my father I have a lot of projects to work on so he doesn't bother me.**_

 _ **Do you not like the cold? I've always been bad with heat in the summertime. I usually stay inside whenever I can because I tend to overheat sometimes.**_

She hardly realized she was rambling now, but what she did realize was that she was opening up to Cat. With every message, she shared more of herself that she'd never told to anyone else, and she also got a bit of knowledge about the other girl as well.

And yet, she wasn't hesitating to type more.

. . .

Blake was surprised at how fast Princess responded to her. Judging by the promptness, she might have been in a similar, or even the same time zone.

 _**It's not that I don't like the cold, it's just that I prefer the warm weather. If we can ever meet each other some day, it'll have to be somewhere cool so you're more comfortable.** _

_**I have three weeks off from school as well for winter break. And if you don't mind my asking, why do you tell your dad that? I know you said he puts a lot of pressure on you, but why don't you want him bothering you?**_

. . .

At the mention of potentially "meeting" Cat, Weiss' eyes widened a bit. She'd heard of many other people who'd met online and gotten close enough over time to arrange a meet-up, but she'd never considered it before for herself. Probably because she'd never spoken to someone online before. Not this extensively, at least.

She was touched that after having only talked for two days, Cat was already suggesting such a thing. But Weiss realized there was definitely no one else she would rather meet up with, if at all possible.

 _ **It'd be nice if we could meet up somehow, though I doubt my father would ever allow it.**_

 _ **Well… I tell him I always have projects to do so he won't pester me. If he thinks I'm not busy, he'll get mad at me. My sister is highly successful, and he needs me to be at least as good as she is, if not better. If I can't reach her level, then I'm a failure to him, totally useless.**_

 ** _…_** ** _I'm actually rather scared of my father, so I try to avoid him as much as possible. What almost happened last night was because of him. Or maybe it was just because I'm so weak…_**

. . .

It was upsetting to read the new message. She took a few minutes to start writing though; this was a sensitive subject and she wanted to be mindful.

 _ **That's not fair to you. You may not be your sister, but you're amazing in your own way. Your father should see that and you shouldn't have to be afraid of him...**_

 _ **And what happened last night is absolutely not your fault. Trust me. You aren't weak and you aren't useless. You're an amazing person, Princess.**_

She only kept repeating herself because she believed it was the truth.

. . .

When she opened Cat's new message, Weiss pressed a palm to her mouth, holding back a small sob. She blinked hard, trying to keep the tears back; she'd never read or heard such words before in all her life, perhaps in books or in movies, but never when they were meant for _her_.

She needed to wipe her eyes and pause a few minutes before she could type her response:

 _ **Thank you, Cat. I really don't know what more I can say. You're even more amazing, because your words do so much - more than you could ever know. I'll never let you forget that you saved my life, and I owe it to you now.**_

. . .

Blake smiled at the words from her friend, a girl she had only talked to for a day but felt as if she had known her for much longer.

 _ **You're welcome, but you don't need to keep thanking me. I'm more than happy that I could help you when you needed it. And please don't think you need to repay me. But just know I'm always here if you'd ever like to talk more.**_

She found herself wanting to talk out loud to this girl. Typing in chat without tone or facial expressions or being able to see her was a little strange. Maybe one day, if all went well, she'd be able to hear Princess' voice.

. . .

They continued exchanging messages for almost two hours. When they hit a message limit, they selected another form of messaging, and even went so far as to exchange emails, though Weiss didn't think they were on such good terms to exchange phone numbers yet. Maybe one day.

When she realized the time and that she still needed to prepare herself dinner, Weiss regrettably sent her final message for the night.

 _ **I've got to eat and head to bed. Thank you so much for chatting with me again tonight, Cat. I'll message you in the morning, too. Goodnight.**_

She'd learned a lot about Cat in just those few hours, and Weiss herself had shared some information she'd never told anyone else. She just felt comfortable with Cat, and she couldn't explain why. She felt it was more than just the fact that Cat had been there for her in her darkest time. She just seemed like such a pure, kind-hearted person, the kind of person Weiss had always wanted to be.

After preparing herself some leftovers, Weiss changed into her sleepwear, brushed her teeth, and crawled into bed, feeling infinitely better than she could ever remember feeling before.

. . .

Blake smiled when Princess signed off for the night. It was the first time she'd ever chatted online for so long with someone, especially on such a deep emotional and personal level. Checking the time, she realized just how late it was and just how long she had been talking to Princess.

 _ **Good night Princess. Enjoy your dinner, and I look forward to talking to you tomorrow!**_

She stood up and changed clothes before going downstairs to eat.

She still had trouble believing all of this had happened in such a short amount of time; she had followed Princess' blog for a long time, and it was almost surreal finally getting to talk to her. She had learned so much about her new friend and had shared a lot about herself as well.

All Blake could determine at this point was that she liked Princess a lot. Of course she was worried about her too, and she wanted to keep learning more about her so she could help her if it was ever necessary again.

She was confident in her ability to be there for her friend online, even if she might not be able to in real life.

* * *

Over the next few days, the two girls fell into a schedule of sorts; in the mornings, they would exchange a few encouraging messages before school, and Weiss used the thoughts of getting to talk to Cat again as motivation to get through all the lessons.

Once home, she'd chat with Cat as she did her assignments and homework. On school nights, they would talk about their classes that day, or any random events; things that seemed insignificant in their minds were made meaningful in speaking to one another. On weekend nights, the two girls would often stay up for hours exchanging words.

Weiss never got sick of talking to Cat. In fact, every night, it only got more and more addicting, and she felt the need to speak to the other girl constantly grow stronger.

The only downside was that she'd often get anxious if Cat didn't reply within a few minutes and hadn't said she was going somewhere. Weiss was always relieved to finally receive a reply, and she'd always voice how worried she'd been.

Such was the situation one night about a week after their meeting.

 _ **Oh, thank goodness. You hadn't replied for a little while so I thought something might've happened. Sorry, I worry really easily. I guess I should loosen up...**_

. . .

Blake enjoyed the routine that she fell into with Princess.

They would wish each other good morning before school; it was something she'd never done with a friend before, only her parents.

She would spend the entire day waiting to get home, and the second she did she would message Princess. She would wait anxiously for her friend to message her back, and then they would start chatting for hours.

Presently, Blake got up when she heard her parents call. They just had a question about school and once it was answered Blake trotted back upstairs to her room to find a message waiting for her.

 _ **Sorry for worrying you. My parents called for me. And don't be sorry. It's all right to worry about your friends. It shows you care. How are you doing otherwise, Princess?**_

. . .

She sighed in relief when Cat gave her a response.

 _ **I'm doing well. Winter break started today after classes. I'm very excited to get three weeks off from school.**_

She wasn't sure if it would be okay to add the next part of her message, but in the end, she decided she felt comfortable enough to do so if it was with Cat.

 ** _…_** ** _Cat? It's fine if you don't want to, but… would you ever consider video chatting with me? I mean, maybe we could just start off with us speaking. We don't have to show our faces. But then maybe when we get more comfortable. I just… I want to hear your voice and maybe one day even see what you look like._**

 _ **Sorry if it sounds weird. Just be honest and tell me if you'd rather not.**_

. . .

Blake scanned the message a few times, trying to decide how she felt about Princess' request. While she liked talking to Princess, she wasn't sure if she felt comfortable with the idea just yet. By nature, Blake was a very nervous and socially-awkward person, after all.

 _ **Sorry, but I don't know about video chatting right now. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that... But I would be happy to start with just our voices. Maybe once I'm more comfortable we can move to video chatting.**_

Blake hoped Princess would understand. Princess was the kind of person who was confident in posting pictures and showing herself online, but Blake had never been the type for that sort of thing. She shuffled her feet on her carpet nervously, twiddling her hands in her lap as she waited.

. . .

Weiss was a bit relieved to get the response Cat gave her.

 _ **Okay, that's fine. To be honest, I don't think I'm ready for video chatting just yet either. Starting with our voices is fine, and then if we want to, we can go to video as time goes on.**_

 _ **Would you want to try chatting tonight? My username is the same as it is here, so you can search for me if you'd like to add me.**_

A coil of excitement bubbled up in her stomach as she sent the message. She'd never chatted with someone online before, not in text like this and _especially_ not with her actual voice. She was a little nervous, but overall couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation.

. . .

Blake felt a trill of excitement.

 ** _Sounds good, and yes we can make a call tonight! I'll add you ASAP. I'm looking forward to talking to you, Princess!_**

Blake sent the message and sat back in her chair, feeling her heart flutter. She'd never talked to someone so much or so long online, and she had never _actually_ talked to anyone either.

But she felt that Princess was different. She felt she could trust her.

Upon opening her connection app, Blake looked Princess up and found her, sending her a request to add her as a contact.

. . .

The request to add a contact came within minutes, and Weiss accepted it instantly.

For the first minute or so, she simply stared at the screen of the empty chat, fingers trembling with anticipation over the keys. They weren't on a call yet, only typing in real-time rather than just sending messages on their blogs.

Weiss sent the first message of the chat:

 _ **Hi, Cat. I'm glad you found me.**_

 _ **If it's okay, I'll call you now. Just our voices. Is it okay to do that now or should I wait a bit? I'll be fine over here for a few more hours before I'll need to go to bed, but my father's and sister's rooms aren't near mine, so we don't have to worry about anyone hearing us talk.**_

. . .

Blake's contact request was accepted within a few minutes of her sending it. Soon after that she saw the moving pencil that indicated that Princess was typing. It was strange knowing that this was real time and that Princess would answer her right away.

Blake replied quickly, nervous and excited.

 _ **Sure, you can call now. I don't have any homework tonight so I have free time before I need to go to bed.**_

. . .

At the confirmation, Weiss inhaled with a small squeak. Even though she wouldn't be seen on video, she could't help but fix her hair and clothes a bit.

At long last, she hit the call button, selecting the "voice" option but leaving the "video" option untouched.

As soon as the little ringing sounds stopped, she knew Cat had answered. Weiss' heart was thumping hard as she cleared her throat and stared at the other girl's icon.

"Hello…" Weiss said shyly. "C-Can you hear me?"

God, she hoped her voice didn't sound too weird.

. . .

Blake sat staring at her computer after sending her message. Her answer arrived a moment later when a notification came up, telling her that her friend was calling. Making sure her headphones were on properly she clicked "answer".

She felt the nervousness equivalent to being in an interview, except it was pleasant somehow.

For a moment she was silent and so was Princess until she heard another voice in her headphones. A shy and quiet voice asking if she could be heard.

Blake's heart was pounding. She swallowed heavily before answering.

"Yeah… I can hear you. Can you hear me?"

. . .

It was a few seconds before Weiss heard a response, but when she did, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her lips.

Cat's voice was soft, shy, very subdued. But Weiss could easily detect the bit of excitement in her tone, and Weiss assumed her own voice probably sounded similar past the static of the speaker.

She swallowed and fumbled for what to say next.

"Yes… I can hear you."

A pause.

Weiss felt the need to keep going, lest she bore Cat or make her uncomfortable and cause her to hang up, so she quickly went on.

"This is pretty neat. It's certainly a lot more convenient than typing and… waiting several minutes for answers and things like that. H-How was your day at school?"

. . .

There was a pause between them, with both girls trying to figure out what to say.

Blake was excited to talk to Princess but she didn't know what to say - this was a lot more personal than just sending text messages.

After Princess started talking again Blake breathed a small sigh of relief, glad that her friend was keeping the conversation alive. Because she knew _she_ sure couldn't.

"Yeah, it sure is easier this way. I like your voice. My day at school was all right... nothing special really happened today. I was mostly bored. What about you?"

. . .

A small smile formed on Weiss' face as she listened to Cat's voice. She quickly got used to her tone; she had an accent very similar to Weiss' own, putting her under the impression that she might not live terribly far away. They also were in the same timezone. Even if Cat wasn't next door to her, she wasn't on the other side of the world, and Weiss took a grain of solace in that.

"My day was pretty normal as well. But it was the last day before winter break, so I'm looking forward to that now. For almost a month, I'll get to relax and keep to myself without having to worry about studying. My father will hopefully be going easy on me, too…" Her voice wavered at that - she actually wasn't too sure about it, but she hoped she sounded convincing. "Do you have… any plans for the break? Yours is soon too, right?"

She wanted to hear Cat talk more.

. . .

Blake smiled as she listened.

Just hearing Princess' voice was nice. Except when she mentioned one particular thing.

When Princess mentioned her father, Blake had to bite her tongue. Whenever he was mentioned she had to stop herself from saying anything too rash; she didn't like the way he treated Princess, but that was a delicate issue, and she felt it wasn't her place to speak on it.

"Yeah, I have my break right now as well. Today was my last day of school before the winter break. I'm looking forward to not studying and just relaxing. I don't have many plans except…" She stopped. She was about to say she planned on talking to Princess more, but it felt different saying it out loud and not in a message.

. . .

Weiss slowly engraved the other girl's voice into her heart; it was the first time she'd ever spoken to anyone she'd met online, and she'd certainly never gotten this close to anyone before. She wondered if Cat was feeling just as happy about getting to talk to her.

Weiss wanted to ask what her friend had been meaning to say, but she didn't want to pry and come off as intrusive.

The ensuing moment of silence reminded Weiss there was something she wanted to _say_ to Cat, not just type. When she spoke again, her voice was timid and small.

"H-Hey, um…"

She already felt the emotions swelling up within her, causing her to choke a bit. She put a hand to her mouth and swallowed, wiping her eyes in turn before she tried to go on.

"I-I just… I wanted to say thank you… Thank you for… stopping me the other night… I just…"

She trailed off, blinking away tears and burying her face into her elbow for a moment.

. . .

There was a moment of silence between them, but unlike the previous silence this was not uncomfortable. Then Princess started to speak, but this time her voice was much quieter than it had been before. And understandably so.

Blake listened intently, respectfully as the other girl spoke. She took several pauses, but after a few tries she finished what she was saying and Blake knew why it had been so hard. She gathered her own courage as Princess had and spoke back with equal conviction.

"You've already thanked me, and I've already told you that I'm always here to help. And I mean it."

. . .

Weiss nodded, remembered Cat couldn't se it, and continued to clean off her face on her sleeve.

"Yes, I… I know that's what you said. It's just… hard to believe sometimes, but… I _want_ to believe you… And I wanted to say thank you with my own voice."

She felt a bit better now that she had.

For a moment, Weiss was silent save from a few little hiccups here and there as she tried to recompose herself.

"Sorry about that," she said a bit more clearly. "I just wanted to tell you. I don't have much to talk about, but what about you? Anything. Do you have any siblings or pets or hobbies you like to do? What's your favorite kind of weather or game or book?"

Weiss heard herself rambling and stopped herself there.

. . .

"It's all right. You don't need to apologize. To answer your questions in no particular order, I like fantasy books, I have no siblings, I don't really have any hobbies aside from track and going online, there's no particular weather I like, and I have a cat."

Blake finished answering all of the questions with a little bit of a smile on her face.

"What about you? I know you have things to talk about. You seem like an interesting girl."

A hint of eagerness made its way into her voice. She wanted to learn more about Princess.

. . .

Weiss committed everything Cat said to memory, ensuring she'd remember everything about her that she possibly could. She found herself smiling a bit more as she continued to listen.

But when asked about herself, that smile faded again.

"No, I… I really don't have much to talk about. I focus most of my time on schoolwork and studying for exams, writing papers and doing projects for class. If I don't get all A's on my report card every marking period, my father will get… sort of angry." It was an understatement to say the least, but she didn't need to tell Cat those things.

Weiss shook her head quickly as she felt tears coming. She changed the subject immediately.

"I don't go out much other than the walk to and from the bus stop. I don't have any pets, but I have an older sister, and a younger brother. I think I've told you. I like to read. And I um… I get cold really easily," she mentioned. "When I was younger, a doctor said I had a strange kind of condition where I get affected by the cold more easily than most people. I think that's probably the most interesting thing about me…"

She didn't really like talking about herself.

. . .

Blake listened with a patient smile as Princess scrambled to find something to say about herself. Though when she could hear how the other girl was getting upset, she wanted to cheer her up.

"Hey come on, I'm sure you have something else beside your school studies. And yeah you mentioned your sister, but you didn't say anything about this condition... I've never heard of that. Did the doctor tell you anything about it?"

. . .

Weiss tried to think for a moment, tried to remember exactly what her condition entailed.

"It's a form of extreme sensitivity. My body's just particularly prone to the cold. I need to have the heating on at all times during the winter and I can't stay outside in the cold as long as a normal person could. I don't think I've ever played out in the snow…"

She trailed off a little sadly, but quickly bounced back.

"But as I've grown older, I've gotten better at being out in the cold for longer periods of time. My dream in life is to find someone I love and go for a long walk with them in the snow," she confessed. "Silly, isn't it? I don't think it can ever happen; at least not anytime soon. But I'm willing to wait."

She looked back up at the monitor that displayed Cat's icon - a black kitten with amber eyes.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do you… have a dream?"

. . .

Princess' condition interested her, but Blake didn't let her mind linger on it. She smiled upon hearing her dream.

"It's not silly. That's actually a really cute dream. I like it."

She had to take a moment to consider her own dream. She had never really thought about it that much, actually.

"Mine isn't as clear-cut as your dream. I just want to make sure my life has an impact. I have no illusions that I will be famous, but I just want to make sure that I have a positive influence on the people I know."

Blake was subdued after revealing that information; she had never told anyone that before.

"Hey, Princess…do you think that…sometime we could tell each other out real names?"

. . .

Weiss perked up a bit, and her heart fluttered again.

"That's a really good dream. I never even considered anything like that. Your dream is for others; mine's just for myself. It proves you're a really good person, Cat."

She sat back in her chair and leaned over to her bed, pulling a small blanket off of it to wrap around her shoulders; it was getting later, and therefore colder now, and Weiss was starting to shiver.

Cat's next words had her gasping softly.

"Of… Of course we could. I mean I… I'd love to tell you some day. We have all of winter break now so… maybe we could go as far as names tomorrow? And… maybe - if you want - we could even go onto video chat sometime. Only when you feel comfortable with it, though. I think it'd be nice to have someone to talk to, over the break and… and even after that, too."

She didn't want to get too far ahead of herself. But she felt that maybe in this case it was okay to hope.

. . .

Blake heard the small gasp on the other side of the call and worried she had asked that question too soon.

 _Good job Blake, you screwed things up already…_

She deflated as she waited for Princess' answer, and was more than pleasantly surprised by the one she received.

"Y-Yeah! I would like that. Whenever you're comfortable with telling me your name, and someday we can video call. I'd like to keep talking to you over break… and even after that, too."

It was both nerve-wracking and thrilling, especially for a shy girl like Blake, to even consider such a significant event. But she was certain there was no one else she'd rather do this with than Princess.

. . .

Weiss felt her eyes swelling with tears all over again, but this time out of happiness. It was much nicer than when she cried for other reasons.

"Okay…" she said softly. "All right then. Let's call again tomorrow, okay? Since there's no more school for either of us, maybe we can call earlier, in the morning or noontime instead of just the evening. So long as I speak softly, no one in my household will find out. I'll tell them I'm working on my projects so they won't bother me."

She pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders as her eyes flicked to the clock in the corner of her computer.

"Ah, it's getting late. If we sleep early, we can wake up earlier too and talk longer!" She might've been getting carried away, but she was just so excited to talk to Cat more tomorrow.

"And I'll give you my cell phone number tomorrow, too." She reached to a small pile of papers on her desk and scribbled down a note for herself. When she was finished, she sighed and addressed Cat one last time tonight.

"You rest well tonight, okay Cat?"

. . .

"That sounds like a good plan. I'll give you my cell phone number tomorrow too." Blake agreed excitedly, making a mental note to do sp.

"I will, and Princess…it was good finally talking to you tonight. You rest up too, and we'll talk tomorrow."

It would be rude to sign off before getting the final response, so Blake waited. Her insides were filled with butterflies, and she couldn't stop the smile on her face. She had made a new friend, and Princess had been nothing but sweet and kind to her. Blake looked forward to talking to her more, everyday if it was possible.

. . .

"Right," Weiss said softly. "Goodnight then. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Weiss didn't want to close the video call, but she knew she needed to do it now, or else she never would.

She clicked the Hang Up button, and Cat's icon disappeared.

Weiss sat there for a moment in silence, still jittery and disbelieving that she'd really just had a conversation with the other girl. She couldn't believe that she'd met Cat like she had, and now she was close enough with her already to be speaking to her one-on-one.

Weiss made one last post on her blog indicating she was going to bed, though she didn't mention how she'd just spoken with Cat; she didn't want other users to get jealous and harass her new friend.

Then, Weiss shut down her laptop and got up from her chair. She turned off the lights in her room and set her alarm clock for the morning before crawling into bed, wrapping the blankets tightly around herself.

She couldn't stop thinking about Cat, remembering the things she'd told her, recalling her voice, imagining what she might look like…

Hopefully, Weiss would find out before long.

She closed her eyes, and the smile never left her lips all the while, even after she'd fallen asleep.

. . .

"Goodnight, I'll talk to you tomorrow," Blake said quietly her mouse hovering over the Hang Up button. She was silently grateful that Princess clicked first, because Blake wasn't sure if she could have done it first.

She just sat there for a while staring at her computer screen, thinking about the night she had just had. She'd actually _talked_ to her friend, the person she had followed for so long and become close with.

She had _talked_ to her.

Absentmindedly, she browsed online, too awake to go to sleep right now. Blake knew she _should_ sleep, but she was still in disbelief that she had just _talked_ to Princess.

After another few minutes of winding down, Blake closed her laptop. She stood and changed before turning off her light and going to bed. All she thought about was Princess.

* * *

 **A/N: Eh, I'm really regretting turning this rp into a fic... it really doesn't flow well, and I see that myself now, but it's too late to go back now. Hopefully I captured the emotion of talking to your online friend for the first time via video chat, cuz this was more or less how I felt.**

 **Please note that for the next few weeks I will be posting/updating new stories instead, and will come back to updating this one after!**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for being patient and waiting for this fic to return! I think you'll enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 4.

The next morning was bright, and when Weiss opened her eyes and gazed out her window, she could just make out the small floating puffs of white snowflakes flurrying down. She stood and looked outside, finding the roads to be clear, but the bushes and grass coated in a light layer of snow. She might have been prone to the cold, but she still appreciated the beauty of the season.

Weiss pulled on a thick robe just to spare herself too much shivering, and stepped into her slippers before heading downstairs. Her father had left for work in the early morning, and her sister worked from her office room on the first floor. Weiss called in a greeting to her before informing Winter she would be in her room starting on some research projects today.

After that, Weiss prepared herself breakfast, a simple bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. She brought her things back upstairs with her before sitting down at her desk and turning on her laptop.

She munched at her cereal until her blog page loaded, and she immediately sent Cat a message:

 _ **Good morning! I'm awake, so whenever you're up, let me know and we can call whenever you want! I'll type my cell phone number for you in the chat!**_

She sent her message and took a sip of her coffee before starting to scroll leisurely through her blog, eagerly awaiting a response.

. . .

When Blake woke up it was nearly ten in the morning; she always had a problem of sleeping late over breaks.

Getting up, she went downstairs to her kitchen and grabbed an apple. While munching on the piece of fruit, she noticed a note on the kitchen counter.

 _Blake,_

 _We already left for work and the cat has been fed. The litter box needs to be cleaned. We'll be home later tonight._

 _-Love Mom and Dad!_

Blake read the note from her parents, and as if on cue her cat jumped on the counter next to her, watching her with bright golden eyes. With a smile Blake went back to her room, turning her laptop on and finding a message from Princess.

 _ **Good Morning! We can call in a few minutes, I just need to clean out my cat's litter box. Then I'll type my phone number in the chat so you can have it too.**_

. . .

The instant she received the reply, Weiss felt a smile curl her lips. She waited a few moments, during which she finished her cereal. She brought her bowl back downstairs, washed it, and put it on a drying rack before returning to her room where she sipped at the rest of her coffee.

It was incredible, the effect Cat's presence was having on her life. Normally, on her breaks from school, Weiss would hide away in her room and pretend to be working. She'd read, write, and take pictures, organize her room and clean it time and again.

But she never got to go out with friends - she didn't have any, after all. By the end of the days, she'd go to bed early, sulking, sad, and cold.

But now she was eager for every second the day would hold if it meant spending them with Cat.

She opened up her video call and sent her cell phone number to Cat in the chat, waiting for a reply so they could begin the call.

. . .

Blake finished her chores quickly, eager to get back to her room and to Princess. When she was finished she threw the trash away and washed her hands thoroughly like she always did.

Heading upstairs, she saw she had a new messages from Princess, and was delighted to find it was the other girl's phone number. Blake smiled as she sent her own phone number to her friend.

 _ **I'm ready to make a call anytime you are!**_

She put on her headphones, waiting to call Princess.

. . .

Only a few minutes later, Cat had returned and sent Weiss her cell phone number. Weiss instantly fumbled to find her cell phone; she didn't use it much because she didn't need to, and this was the first time she'd be adding a friend's number. She didn't even know how to add a new contact, and it took her a few moments to figure it out and type in Cat's number, checking and rechecking it several times to ensure it was correct.

She then sent Cat one more chat message on her laptop:

 _ **Sorry I took so long! I've never added someone else's number before. I'm going to text you before we call, just to make sure I got the correct number!**_

She then did as she'd said and typed a quick message of **_"Hello, Cat! It's Princess!"_** on her phone before sending.

There was something else she'd realized that made Weiss extremely excited, but she tried to contain herself for a moment longer as she waited for a confirmative reply from Cat. She'd address that when they started their call, she decided.

. . .

Blake didn't use her phone that often either, but she was familiar with everything on it. She added Princess' number and not even a moment later a text came from the new number. Smiling as she read the simple message, Blake quickly type up a reply.

 ** _"Hey Princess! Glad to see it worked!"_** Blake sent the message before looking at her laptop and seeing she had a message from Princess there as well.

 _ **It's no problem. It took me a moment to add you as well. I'm glad it worked though. If you want we can call now; I have plenty of free time today so we can call for as long as you want.**_

Blake hoped that Princess would want to call for a long time like she did; she enjoyed talking to her new friend and would gladly whittle away the hours with her if she wanted to.

. . .

Weiss read over the confirmation text and smiled, hugging her phone briefly to her chest. She then placed it down on her desk and went back to her chat.

 _ **I'll start the call now then!**_

She clicked the appropriate button and waited for Cat to pick up. For now, Weiss left the video option off; they could discuss when to turn it on when they were both ready, hopefully sometime that day.

As soon as Cat had picked up, Weiss was too excited to be bashful and ended up speaking first.

"Cat! I just noticed when I was adding your number in my phone…" She took a deep breath, still a bit jittery. "We… you and I have the same area code! And that means we… we live nearby!"

It felt really nice. Weiss had been under the impression that Cat might live across the country or in another state. But in reality, she was so close.

Maybe - just maybe - it was possible they really could meet one day after all…

. . .

Blake sat, watching her computer, waiting for her friend to start the call. Within a few moments of sending her text she heard the incoming call noise through her headphones. She joined the call, and before she could say anything Princess started to talk quickly and excitedly. Blake smiled.

"I noticed that too! Maybe after we talk a little more we could meet up. If that's something you might like to try..."

This was all new to her. She'd never made an online friend like Princess before, and especially not one she might be able to meet in real life one day. It felt so special. It made her chest warm.

. . .

Weiss nodded at everything Cat was saying, until she realized Cat couldn't see her.

"Yes!" she said. "That would be wonderful. I really like the thought of living so near to you. It makes me feel a lot less lonely." She realized too late that she'd said something quite pitiful, and Weiss quickly went on. "Well, if you'd be okay with it, we could maybe… do our first video call now…?"

She clutched her hands together, glad that she'd managed to make the proposal, but nervous at what the response might be. Whether Cat said yes or no, Weiss would surely still be nervous nonetheless.

. . .

Blake smiled at Princess' sentiment. At least she'd been able to be there for her, to sooth some of the ache of loneliness.

"I feel the same way. Talking to you has been great. You're a good friend, Princess."

She did want to video call with the other girl, but she was nervous about it as well. She considered, though deep down she already knew what her answer would be. After a moment she spoke up, so Princess didn't think the call had been dropped.

"Yeah… Yeah, we can have our first video call today. Just…can we turn it on at the same time? It's less nerve-wracking that way to me."

She'd never been confident about her appearance, but she was confident in the fact that Princess wouldn't judge her on it.

. . .

When Cat finally replied, Weiss perked up instantly.

"O-Of course! I think that'd be better for both of us. I won't cover my face or anything either."

She quickly ran a hand through her hair, making sure she looked halfway decent and somewhat presentable. She straightened out her shirt as well and took another deep breath, steadying her finger over the camera button that would turn it on.

"Okay…" she breathed. "Are you… ready? I'll count to three and we can press it together, okay?"

. . .

Blake started to adjust herself once Princess agreed to the video call. She ran her hand back through her hair and unruffled her sweater a bit. She tried to straighten the messy tangles in her hair, but she remembered the other girl was waiting for her to answer.

"Uh….I'm still here. We can start the video whenever you're ready..." Blake tried to stay calm even though her heart was beating quickly. Her finger scrolled the mouse over the camera button and hovered.

When Princess started to count down her heart began beating even faster.

. . .

"All right," Weiss said, sucking in another deep breath. "All right... Here we go. 3… 2… 1!"

Without wasting another second, she clicked the button. A little green light lit up at the top of her computer, indicating the camera was now in use.

At first, Weiss could only see her own image in a little square in the bottom righthand corner of the screen. The larger square at the center was still black and registering.

The second it showed an image, Weiss couldn't help but jump a little bit in surprise.

The girl before her was nothing short of gorgeous. She had pale white skin and long, luscious, wavy black hair. She was clearly just as nervous as Weiss was, but what drew her attention the most were Cat's eyes. They were golden like honey, and entirely captivating.

Something seemed a little familiar about her, but Weiss couldn't quite place it.

Scared she was staring, her mouth fumbled for words.

"C-Cat…" she managed at last, blabbering and not thinking. "Oh… oh wow. You're so pretty…"

. . .

Blake waited with anticipation to turn her video on. When Princess' countdown was finished, Blake pressed the button with all her might.

At first all she saw was herself, and as she waited for the screen to load she ended up leaning closer to the computer in her curiosity.

And at last Blake saw the other girl she had been talking to all this time.

She couldn't help but gasp a little when she looked at her friend for the first time.

The girl on the screen was beautiful. Her skin was smooth and white, and her hair was long and straight, reaching far down her back. It was the same color as freshly-fallen snow.

Blake was a little relieved to see that the other girl was just as nervous as she was for this. She looked to be around Blake's age, but one thing caught her attention more strongly than the rest. Princess' eyes were a stunning shade of blue, like two bright sapphires.

Blake felts she had seen this girl somewhere before, but she couldn't remember where.

"T-Thanks Princess…" Blake replied after a moment. "You're... really pretty too..."

. . .

She could see Cat looking at her too, and Weiss blushed a little bit. She herself was doing her best not to stare, but Cat was really stunning.

Weiss kept her eyes on Cat's for as long as she dared.

That golden color was so familiar…

And then it hit her.

Weiss gasped aloud and pushed her chair back suddenly, her eyes going wide.

"Y-You're-!" She fumbled for words, completely flabbergasted. "You're the girl who helped me… i-in the bathroom that one time I was sick! Y-You… You go to my school! I _know_ you!"

Her heart was suddenly aflutter, and her hands went to her mouth. She couldn't remember how to breathe.

. . .

Blake jolted when Princess suddenly gasped and jumped out of her seat, headphone cord going taut as she stood up. It was only after she finished speaking that the full meaning of her words hit Blake.

 _We_ have _met before!_

"Th-That was you? You go to my school! I know you!" Repeating Princess and stating the obvious couldn't be helped when her mind was in such a whirl. Her heart was beating quickly, and she had the sudden urge to get up and move, but was too baffled to budge.

. . .

Weiss was still baffled, and she realized her headphones had come unplugged. She removed them from her ears and put them aside, letting Cat's voice ring out through the room, her tone just as excited as Weiss' had been a moment before.

Once she'd calmed down a little, Weiss slowly sat back down and pulled her chair up again, running a hand through her frazzled hair as she fumbled to find her voice.

"I can't believe it…" she mumbled. "All this time, you've been sending me such kind messages online… and I've been seeing you in the hallways every day without realizing it? I even spoke to you once… We live so close to each other, Cat…"

It was really a possibility they could meet. In fact, they already had.

But now, Weiss wanted to meet Cat and know just _who_ she was - the girl that had saved her life with one kind message.

"So I... I do a lot of work around the school in the Student Council. I… my real name is Weiss." She smiled kindly, properly introducing herself for the first time.

. . .

Excitement coursed through Blake. It filled her veins, and she could feel it with each pump of her heart. She lived close to Princess; she would be able to see her friend and actually get to know her. It wasn't just a dream.

"Weiss…" she repeated. "I've definitely heard your name around school before. You're really well-known for all the work you do in the Student Council. My name is Blake, though I sort of doubt you've heard much about me..."

. . .

"Blake…"

Weiss smiled as she tested out the name. It was mysterious and yet telling. It suited the other girl perfectly. She really loved it.

"Actually, I feel I've heard your name a few times here and there. But wow, I still just… I can't believe this…"

She felt like this excitement would never go away until she'd met Blake again.

"But our break from school has just started," she said dejectedly. "We won't be able to see one another there for three more weeks."

But an idea sparked in her mind, and she quickly looked back up at Blake. "Unless… do you… do you think it'd be possible to… to meet before that somehow? I could tell my father I'm meeting someone to work on a project and he'd let me go, I think!"

A hopeful smile spread across her lips.

. . .

Blake couldn't help but feel happy at the sight of Weiss' smile; being such a timid girl by nature, her rarer happiness was infectious.

"Yes!" She agreed quickly before actually taking a minute to think it through. "Yes, I can tell my parents I'm going to meet up with a friend. They wouldn't mind that. In fact they'd actually be happy to see me out with someone."

Blake was talking fast with excitement, but when she realized what she said she blushed and tilted her head down. "I don't… I don't have many friends that I see outside of school."

. . .

Weiss nodded, her eyes softening.

"I'm the same. I'm not really allowed to have many friends because my father wants me to focus on school rather than a social life. Because of that, I'm sorry if I seem a bit awkward when talking to you. I've never really done this before, not even face-to-face with someone."

Her eyes went to her calendar across the room.

"Today's Thursday… would you be free this Saturday? Or is that too soon? Whatever day works for you. We could meet up somewhere or you could even come to my house."

She typed her address into the chat box and sent it to Blake.

"That's where I live. Er… actually, I'm not sure you'd want to come here." She bit her tongue; she didn't want Blake to be here if her father was home as well. This was Weiss' first real shot at making a friend and she didn't want to jeopardize their relationship.

Her voice became suddenly quiet, and her smile fell.

"Or I could come to your house, if that's okay…?"

. . .

Blake smiled a little. "Don't worry, Weiss. You haven't been awkward at all since we met. You've been very polite and incredibly sweet since we started talking. It's really nice to meet someone like that."

She looked up slowly to make eye contact with her friend. Weiss' eyes looked to something off-screen as she started talking about the days and when they could meet. "Saturday sounds good," Blake agreed. "I'm free, so I can meet up whenever you're ready. I'm fine with you coming to my house if you'd like."

She typed her address into the chat for her friend.

. . .

Weiss sighed in relief at Blake's offer.

"Really? That sounds much better." She read over Blake's address, recognizing the street to be only a few blocks away. She felt much better now that she wouldn't have to worry about Blake encountering her father.

With their plans now finalized, the two girls continued to chat. Whatever tangents the conversation took, Weiss followed them, telling random stories that popped into mind and listening quietly whenever Blake spoke.

She was sure to keep her voice down and her laughter to a minimum; she didn't want her sister to hear her and start asking questions.

Weiss hadn't realized how quickly the day had passed her by until it started to get dark out, and her stomach begged for supper.

"Ah… Oh gosh, it's gotten late. I can't believe we talked so much! It's really easy to hold a conversation with you, Blake." Weiss offered a smile; she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so comfortable or excited. She didn't think she ever had.

. . .

As they talked, Blake noticed that Weiss spoke quietly and kept her laughter controlled; she just assumed that the white-haired girl didn't want to disturb her family, but even then she felt Weiss was holding herself back somehow.

Neither of them noticed the sun going down until Weiss mentioned it. Blake felt it was the quickest time had ever passed for her in recent months. She could feel her stomach rumbling too.

"Wow, it really is late… You know what they say about time flying when you're having fun, though. I really enjoy talking to you, Weiss. I'm happy to have such a great friend."

. . .

 _Friend_.

The word still made Weiss giddy to hear, coming from Blake of all people. The girl smiled on the other end of the video screen, and Weiss felt her heart lift; it'd been the same every time Blake had smiled at her that day.

She didn't want to say goodbye just yet this evening, but when she heard the unmistakable sounds of her father's car pulling into the driveway, Weiss made haste and nervously flashed her eyes back to Blake.

"Then I'll see you in two days. Well, I mean I'll still probably call you again tomorrow if that's okay. But I… I'll _really_ see you in two days!"

Weiss planned to sleep early tonight after dinner, to help pass the time more quickly; she wanted to get to Blake more than anything else.

She could hear the front door opening as her father entered, and Weiss said one last goodbye to Blake.

"Goodnight. We can still text for a bit if you'd like, though!" And with that she was forced to turn off her video and hang up the call, not wanting to risk being found out.

. . .

Blake sensed the sudden change in Weiss as she started to nervously glance around, looking at something she saw or heard off-screen.

"Yeah, we'll talk again tomorrow, and then we'll hang out on Saturday," Blake said calmly. She was already imagining what she and Weiss would do when they actually hung out in-person. "Goodnight, Weiss. I'll call you tomorrow."

Weiss disappeared from her screen and the sound in her headphones cut out. But Blake felt as though she could still hear her pleasant voice even long after the call had ended.

. . .

Weiss sat in silence for a few moments, listening to her father rummaging around downstairs. She could make out the faint scent of food, likely whatever he had brought home to eat.

After a few minutes, she heard him coming up the stairs, but he didn't turn down her hallway. Rather, he went the other way and headed for his office.

She waited until she heard the door close, and only then did she get up from her chair to stretch. She hurried out of her room and down the stairs to the kitchen to start preparing herself some dinner, a bit of leftover pasta and meat from the previous night.

Once it was finished, she ate it there at the table and washed the dishes afterward, leaving them on the drying rack. She returned upstairs to brush her teeth in her personal bathroom, and retreated back to her room at long last.

After changing into a nightgown, she curled up in bed with her cell phone and sent Blake a quick text:

 _"Goodnight! Talk to you tomorrow!"_

 _. . ._

When Blake finally walked down to the kitchen she her cat sitting on the counter, watching her and waiting to be fed. "Sorry little guy, I was talking to someone."

Her parents weren't home yet. It wasn't uncommon for them to get home late from work, so there were many nights when Blake was home by herself for hours on end.

Giving her cat his dinner, she went about making herself something to eat as well. She heated up some leftover chicken and rice from the previous night, then ate her dinner in comfortable silence, still thinking about Weiss.

After she had finished her food and put the dirty dishes in the sink, she went back to her room. She changed her clothes and got into bed right as her phone vibrated. She smiled when she saw it was Weiss.

" _Goodnight to you too! Talk to you then."_

 _. . ._

Weiss waited only a moment before her phone vibrated with the reply from Blake. She read it, smiled, and put the device aside.

She'd gone through many rough patches in the past, ones not unlike several nights ago when Blake had saved her. She'd considered hurting herself before, she'd stressed herself to the point of being sick; it wasn't all that uncommon for Weiss. Even her condition of being especially prone to the cold was likely a result of over-stressing.

But when she thought of Blake - of the girl who had helped her not once, but _twice_ in only a matter of weeks - Weiss felt warm inside.

As she lie in bed and closed her eyes, she only saw Blake's smile and her eyes, only heard her voice in her head. Weiss couldn't wait to meet her for real.

She slept peacefully that night, eager for the promises the following days would bring.

* * *

 **A/N: You see, the thing about uploading an older story from over a year ago is that I don't even remember what we wrote, so it's all a surprise to me too, ahah! I'm still making a lot of edits though to make sure things flow more smoothly.**

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**TRIGGER WARNING: This is going to be another intense chapter so please be advised and take care in proceeding if you choose to do so!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 5.

As soon as she woke the next day, Weiss sent a quick _"good morning!"_ text to Blake before she got out of bed. It was a particularly chilly morning, so she tugged her robe over her sleepwear and put on her slippers before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Winter was there, but their father had already gone off to work.

The sisters spoke for a while as they ate, but Weiss made certain not to mention Blake, no matter how badly she might've wanted to. She didn't want to risk her father catching wind of this, lest he forbid her from meeting Blake tomorrow.

 _Tomorrow_ …

Weiss hid a smile behind her hand as she finished eating and stood to begin cleaning dishes.

When she returned upstairs, she went to her desk and turned on her laptop. She did have a small amount of homework to complete over the break, and she started on that, taking breaks in between to go on her blog. Unable to contain her mirth, she made a personal post:

 _"Tomorrow is going to be one of the best days of my life!"_

It only took her an hour to finish all of her homework for the entire 3-week break. Her reward was reaching for her phone to see Blake's reply to her good morning text.

. . .

Blake woke up fairly late in the morning; nothing unusual during break. Picking up her phone, she saw that Weiss had sent her a "good morning" text a few hours ago.

 _So she's clearly a morning person,_ Blake thought with a little chuckle as she sent a text back to Weiss:

 _"_ _Good morning Weiss! How did you sleep last night?"_

After she sent her message, Blake changed her clothes and went down to the kitchen. On the counter was a note from her parents, and without having to read it she knew what it would say. Pouring a bowl of cereal, Blake sat at the table eating her late breakfast, waiting for Weiss to text her back.

. . .

When she checked her phone, she was more than delighted to see Blake had responded and quickly sent another reply:

 _"I slept very well, thank you! I'm honestly surprised, considering how excited I was all evening. I couldn't stop thinking about you!"_

She sent the text before she could think it over. A few seconds too late, she realized it might have sounded a bit awkward, so she frantically typed a follow-up message:

 _"_ _Sorry! That must've sounded weird, right? I just meant that I was so excited about talking to you and meeting up tomorrow!"_

She sent that message as well and needed to put her phone down on her desk, lest she start rambling to Blake. She distracted herself with blogging for another moment or so instead.

. . .

Blake finished her bowl of cereal and put it in the sink, filling it with water to clean later. She felt a vibration in her pocket, and a smile appeared on her face knowing that it had to be Weiss. When she neared the end of the first message, her phone vibrated as Weiss sent her a second text.

Blake laughed a little, an easy smile on her ace as she finished reading everything.

" _It's all right, Weiss. It's not weird. I spent most of last night thinking about you, too. So either neither of us is weird, or we both are. In my opinion both are fine. I'm glad you slept well. What are you doing today?"_

After sending her text to Weiss, Blake walked upstairs and laid down on her bed to enjoy the day of vacation. Though she'd just come up here specifically to lie down, she also felt like she wanted to go out for a jog because of the trills of excitement coursing through her.

 _Why am I so happy to known that Weiss was thinking about me last night like I was thinking about her?_

. . .

She was relieved to say the least that Blake didn't think it was weird. Weiss was even a bit flattered to know Blake had been thinking about her, too.

Weiss shivered a little bit and pulled her robe tighter around her, tying the strings around her stomach as she typed a response.

 _"I'm not doing much today at all! I just finished all of my homework for over the break actually._

 _How about we do another call? I'm just so excited about tomorrow, I don't think I can contain myself, and I always feel so much better when I'm talking to you!"_

. . .

Blake waited for a few minutes before Weiss texted back. Shivering slightly. she pulled her blanket up her legs before reading and typing back:

" _Wow, you got all the work for the break done already? I've barely started it. And sure, let's have another call. I'm excited too, and talking to you is one of the best parts of my day!"_

Blake sent her message and put her phone to the side. She grabbed her laptop and leaned back into her pillows, pulling the blanket up before turning her laptop on.

. . .

It made her feel so happy when Blake confessed she enjoyed speaking with her. Weiss had never gotten to feel that kind of warmth fluttering in her chest before she'd met and started talking to Blake.

She turned on her laptop and waited until she saw Blake's icon light up, indicating she was online as well. Weiss started the call, prepping herself a bit to look nice for the video. She was still in her nightgown and robe, but didn't think Blake expected her to look as though she were ready for a banquet. She'd already planned out her outfit for tomorrow, though.

As soon as Blake appeared on-screen, Weiss smiled at the sight of her, also looking happily lazy and dressed in pajamas.

"Good morning, Blake!" Weiss felt her heart start to thump harder; this always happened, even when she'd just known the girl as Cat. But now that she knew Blake's real name and was going to _meet her…_

Weiss thought her heart might burst out of her chest.

"H-How are you today?" she asked excitedly.

. . .

Blake grabbed her headphones and plugged them into her laptop before answering the call.

"Good morning, Weiss!" She replied with as much enthusiasm as her friend. She felt a bit better about being in her casual clothes when she noticed Weiss was dressed comfortably as well. "I'm doing well. Just woke up not too long ago so I'm enjoying the lazy morning. How about you Weiss? How are you today?"

Blake felt as her heart started to pump a little faster.

 _I get to meet her tomorrow…_

 _. . ._

"I'm doing well! I can't _wait_ for tomorrow!" She smiled, following Blake's lead and plugging in her headphones. She hadn't used them much last time, but she could hear Blake more clearly this way.

They talked the day away, telling stories for hours, just like they had yesterday.

Weiss didn't notice the time passing by, and her headphones prevented her from hearing other things properly.

She didn't notice when her father came home.

She must've been talking too loud, laughing too cheerfully.

Weiss was enjoying a hearty giggle as Blake finished telling a funny story about her cat.

That was when the door to her room burst open.

Weiss jumped and gasped loudly, yanking her headphones off instantly as fear gripped her heart. Her eyes went wide, her voice thick with terror.

"F-Father…"

There was cold fury in his grey eyes, and they cut into her soul. Weiss jolted, but couldn't look away. His voice was booming - furious - and seemed to shake the entire house.

" _What_ are you doing?! You told me you had a project, and here you are playing online?" he bellowed. " _Worthless!_ Every last inch of you! I don't know _why_ I bother keeping you around! You'd be better off dead to me! Your sister slaves away in her room every day while I'm at work, and what are _you_ doing? _Blogging?_ Useless! Do you really think any of those people _care_ about you? I want you off that contraption immediately! And don't join us for supper!"

He spun around and stormed off, slamming the door behind him and making the room shake.

But Weiss was shaking worse. She'd started sobbing and trembling the second he'd started yelling. She was curled up in her chair defensively, tears drenching her face as she whimpered, heart pounding.

It hurt. _Everything_ hurt.

Somewhere along the lines of her father's enraged discourse, she'd shut off the call with Blake, but as she looked to the black screen now, she couldn't find it within herself to call her again.

She _wanted_ to-

-but she _couldn't._

Weiss hugged her knees to her chest and buried her face, trying to stifle her sobs to no avail.

. . .

Blake had been so happy to see Weiss smile and hear that the other girl was doing well.

She had just finished telling a story when she'd heard the loud slam come from Weiss' end of the call.

"Weiss-?"

Blake cut off when she heard an angry voice start to yell in the background. She watched as Weiss jolted and turned to face the person Blake could only assume was her father.

"Weiss? Weiss! What's going on? Are you all right?"

Blake heard the horrible things he said. She saw the sheer terror in Weiss' face. She felt the girl's panic as if it was her own.

Suddenly the call ended, leaving Blake staring at a blank, silent screen.

She immediately sent Weiss a message online and texted the girl at the same time:

 **_Weiss, are you all right? The call ended suddenly and your father sounded mad. I'm worried about you..._**

. . .

She didn't know how long she sat there like that, curling fearfully in her chair. She was afraid to move, afraid to cry too loudly, afraid he might come back and yell again…

She heard her phone go off, but she was scared to answer that, too. What if her father found out she had Blake's number and was texting her? He'd end their friendship for certain. Weiss didn't want that. She didn't want…

She didn't want to _do_ this anymore.

The sun set, shrouding her room in darkness, but still she refused to answer her phone. The tears didn't stop either, nor did the shaking. It was getting colder, and she was shivering violently, both from the air and from the lingering terror of being berated at so vehemently by her father.

Weiss' mind was jumbled, and her chest felt suffocated. She couldn't stop crying - she couldn't breathe.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she finally dared to reach for her phone.

But she didn't read the frantic texts Blake had sent her. She merely typed up a message with shaking fingers, tears dripping onto her screen to obstruct her vision. She sent it and put her phone back on her desk, far away from her reach.

She… wouldn't need it anymore.

The only thing on her mind from then on was the same word she'd texted to Blake:

 ** _Sorry…_**

 _. . ._

Blake sat staring at her phone and computer for a long time, waiting for any kind of reply from Weiss.

Her father had sounded furious, and while Blake hadn't heard everything he'd said since the call had been cut off, somehow she knew why he was mad.

Weiss had said her father was strict and put a lot of pressure on her to be perfect. It hit Blake that their calls always ended at the same time of evening, and today they had talked longer than normal. Weiss typically got off before her father got home, but today she hadn't noticed the time and hadn't heard him because of her headphones.

A vibration in her palm stopped Blake's thoughts as she quickly read the text from Weiss. It was only one word:

 ** _Sorry..._**

A cold chill ran through her. She didn't like that word. Not like this.

Blake typed back quickly, hoping to help like she had helped before:

 ** _Weiss, please don't do anything bad. Your father is wrong. You work just as hard as your sister and we both know it. You may not be perfect, but neither is anyone else. Don't think for a second no one cares about you. I do, Weiss. I care about you and I want to meet you. More than anything._**

. . .

Her phone went off again, but Weiss wouldn't read it. She only touched it one last time to turn if off completely.

After that, she slowly uncurled herself from the chair, but her legs were still shaking too much for her to stand. She fell to her knees on the sleek wooden floor, and more tears jumped to her eyes. She just couldn't stop hurting, couldn't stop trembling. It was cold, and her robe was doing nothing for her.

More time passed as she sent prayers of apology out to Blake. Every passing second was another wasted heartbeat, another second she was being useless, another second her existence was meaningless.

She knew she'd only hurt Blake in the end with all of these horrible feelings. It was better if… she just disappeared.

Weiss crawled up into her bed and curled herself up, not even bothering with the blankets. If she was lucky, her condition would kill her in the night and let her freeze. If not, she'd do something about it tomorrow.

Her pillow was drenched within minutes despite the dryness of her throat. Her stomach was hollow, and her heart was heavy and slow. It was annoying. She wanted it to stop altogether.

She dug her nails deeply into the fabrics of her pillow, biting down on it in another spot, voice broke.

"I'm… sorry, Blake…"

. . .

Blake kept texting Weiss, hoping the girl would respond and let Blake know that she was all right.

But that reassurance never came.

After an hour, Blake gave up and put her phone down, not knowing what to do now. She wanted to find Weiss' address and go to her house right then and there, but she knew that wasn't realistic of her; Weiss' father would never let her through the door.

Eventually, she closed her laptop and set it on her night stand before curling into a ball on her bed. Her eyes were damp and her vision blurred before she squeezed her eyes tight. Worry gnawed at her and she couldn't think of anything else but Weiss.

The thought of something bad happening her - her father's abuse or worse - hurt Blake. She cared about Weiss, and all Blake wanted to do was help her.

 _But what can I do...? Nothing..._

She started to drift into an uneasy sleep because she had no other choice.

. . .

What she experienced that night wasn't sleep, but more like losing consciousness due to sheer exhaustion. She was freezing, but she couldn't move, aside from the shivering. She felt hollow, _numb_.

And yet she could still feel the pain, the crippling ache in her chest and the pounding in her skull.

The only thoughts in her head were jumbled, faint images, some of Blake, but most of her father's rage.

She kept hearing his words, shouting and echoing in her mind, haunting remnants that wouldn't leave her alone.

 _"Worthless… useless... better off dead..."_

He'd said those words to her so many times…

She finally believed him.

* * *

 **A/N: Please be cautious in proceeding to the next chapter as well.**

 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I continue to be amazed people are still genuinely enjoying this story. I was sure people would be turned off or just not interested in general, so I'm glad to see I was wrong!**

 **That being said, this chapter will contain the same TRIGGER WARNINGS, more strongly than in previous chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 6.

Morning came and found her cold, withering like a flower beneath heavy snow.

For a long while, Weiss simply laid there, her vision bleary, breathing deathly slow. She could hear her father's car as he left, bound for work even on the weekend morning. Not long afterward, she heard Winter descend the stairs and head outside as well.

Weiss was alone.

And she was resolved.

She forced herself up out of bed for what she'd ensure to be the last time. She shed her robe, allowing even more cold air to assault her past the thin fabrics of her nightgown. Her hands were shaking too much to even consider writing a note of any kind. She simply went to her computer and typed a small message:

 _Tell Blake I'm sorry._

With that, she limped to her door, and headed for the stairs.

. . .

Blake woke up still feeling uneasy; the pit of worry in her stomach hadn't gone away even overnight.

Slowly, she sat up and picked up her phone to see that Weiss hadn't texted her back at all.

Her next best shot was the Internet. Grabbing her computer, she turned it on and started scrolling through her blogs. She saw that Weiss hadn't messaged her or made any posts on hers.

The pit of worry started to grow with every passing minute. Something just didn't feel right.

She got out of bed and changed out of her pajamas as fast as she could. Looking through her phone's messages, she found the address Weiss had sent her one of the first nights they'd chatted. Blake memorized it before hastily heading out of her room.

She didn't bother to check if her parents were home, and she planned on feeding her cat when she got back. Right now though, her main priority was to make sure that Weiss was all right.

 _We promised we'd see each other today. I'm on my way, Weiss…_

. . .

The house was cold and empty, not unlike herself. Weiss treaded on her bare feet along the carpeted floors, making her way across the vacant living room and heading for the front door. She opened it briefly, peering outside to find Winter's car was gone as well.

Weiss was really alone.

She breathed in a meek gulp of frigid air, savoring it for all it was worth before turning around and pulling the door closed behind herself. A draft still slipped in, and she realized it was slightly ajar, but she didn't care anymore.

She went into the kitchen, pausing when she saw something on the table. It was a plate of food covered by some tin foil, and a note sat on top, written by her sister:

 _Father said you were sick last night so you didn't come down for dinner. I'm sorry I couldn't stay home today to check on you. But I made you some food to hold you over. Rest up and feel better soon. I'll be home in time for supper._

 _-Winter_

Weiss blinked and two tears fell down, seeping into the paper. She swallowed thickly, choking a bit as her throat tightened around a lump.

"I'm sorry…"

All she had were apologies, but no regrets.

She turned away and went to the drawers to find what she sought.

. . .

Blake looked out the window. Snow lay thickly on the ground after a small storm last night. She shouldn't have been surprised since it was winter break, but the white blanket on the ground annoyed her; it meant it would take longer to get to Weiss' house through this.

Grabbing a jacket, she zipped it and put the hood up, grabbed her house keys and stuffed them in her pocket before opening the door.

The frigid air poured into her house instantly. Even through her layers of clothes Blake shivered. She closed the door behind her and started walking in the direction of Weiss' address. She guessed it would only take her a few minutes to get there if she went as fast as she could.

So she sped up, not out of excitement to see Weiss, but something else she couldn't quite place.

 _Please be all right... Please be all right..._

 _. . ._

What she withdrew was a serrated knife, one she had used countless times to prepare meals in the past. But now, it would be serving her for a different purpose:

 _Relief_.

But before she could obtain that, there'd have to be pain.

She was scared of that, but she knew in the end it would be worth it. To put an end to all this stifling torment she had to endure day in and day out.

Holding the blade in her left hand, she raised her right arm over the sink, so it'd be a little easier for people clean up afterward. Beneath the sleeve of her nightgown, Weiss' wrist harbored many old scars, ones she hadn't touched in a while, but-

But now she was going to end it.

She could only apologize to Winter and to Blake, tears dripping down her face and onto the floorboards below. Blake had been the only one other than Winter in so many years to make her feel like she was all right, if only for a few minutes.

But she knew this was best for everyone in the end. If she met Blake, she'd only burden her with her problems; Weiss knew the other girl would be sad, but ultimately much better off without her.

Everyone would be better off without her. That's what her father had said, enough times for her to accept it as a fact.

Weiss start to sob, jolting as the knife sliced through her skin, drawing a thin line of scarlet over the sink. It started dripping down…

It hurt. But it would be over soon.

She pressed a little harder.

. . .

Blake trudged through the snow as fast as she could, constantly checking her phone and the street signs to make sure she was still heading in the right direction. She lost track of how much time had passed since she had left her house; it could have been five minutes or it could have been ten.

All she cared about was getting to Weiss, no matter how long it took. But she was hoping for sooner rather than later.

Eventually, she knew she had found the right house when she saw the sheer size of it. Checking the number on the outside to confirm it was right, Blake scurried up the empty driveway.

The front door was slightly open.

A sense of foreboding filled her as she hurried up to the door as quickly as she could now. Everything was entirely, unnaturally quiet.

She was about to call out when she heard a soft sound coming from another part of the house-

It sounded like... someone crying.

Blake rushed straight into the house without hesitation. Her heart was in her throat, and her stomach knotted so tightly and so suddenly she felt like she might throw up.

She found herself in the kitchen. There was a girl standing at the sink with her back to Blake, a girl with long white hair-

"Weiss-?"

At first her tone was one of relief-

-until she noticed the red dripping down into the sink.

Blake screamed.

" _Weiss!_ "

. . .

It would be easy. Just a little more, a little harder and it'd be over-

A cry of her name had her freezing in place. The blood that was still in her veins ran cold in contrast to the warm scarlet oozing out of her wrist. She jolted, and fear gripped her heart, rendering her unable to breathe. She could hardly see past the tears clogging her vision, bleary and unfocused.

Had it been any other person on the planet, Weiss would have slashed the knife all the way in and made sure there'd be no saving her.

But…

But it was…

"B-Blake…?"

Her voice broke, and she felt that wasn't the only thing.

She blinked. More tears fell. More blood dripped into the sink.

She couldn't believe it.

And she didn't know what to do.

She'd promised herself she'd really go through with it this time, because the world would be better off without her.

But…

Hadn't she... made a promise to Blake a few nights ago? A promise that she'd never try to do this again...?

Weiss remained frozen, her arms suspended over the sink. She was trembling uncontrollably, but couldn't put down the knife.

"B-Blake, I don't-"

Her hand shuddered, and the knife cut deeper. Weiss yelped as the blood started flowing faster, more thickly.

She didn't know what to do.

. . .

Fear clutched Blake's heart as she realized what Weiss was doing. She almost didn't believe her eyes.

The other girl took in a shaky breath and whispered Blake's name back to her. Weiss was terrified. Blake could see it in her eyes that she didn't want to do this.

Blake didn't want her to either.

She sucked in a trembling breath, and when she blinked she felt tears burning behind her eyes. Her throat closed up, but she forced her voice past it.

"Weiss... it's... it's all right. I'm here for you, just like I promised. Please just... put the knife down." She spoke as calmly as she could in spite of everything, even though she could barely stay on her feet.

The white-haired girl remained frozen in place before a sudden shiver had the knife sliding against her skin. More blood sprang from the fresh wound and started spilling over.

Without thinking, Blake rushed forward and flung her arms around Weiss, pulling her into a tight hug. She held her close as her own tears started to fall.

" _Please_ Weiss... don't go any further... you're my friend. I don't want to lose you. _I_ _can't_. Please don't do this..."

Blake buried her face into Weiss' long hair and wept from the bottom of her heart.

. . .

She couldn't move, not to cut the knife deeper nor to take it away. Blake was clinging to her tightly - desperately - _begging_ her to stop-

To stop…

Weiss looked down past the tears, finally seeming to _truly_ understand what it was she was doing.

She was _dying_ -

She cried out in fear, dropping the knife into the sink as more blood welled up from her veins and spilled.

"N-No- B-Blake?!" She wailed and frantically clutched at the cut on her wrist. "Blake… _Blake!_ "

Blake was here. She was _right here_. Weiss couldn't believe it.

She'd met her after all. But it was like this…

How could she let Blake see her like this? She must've been terrified, perhaps almost as terrified as Weiss was.

Shaking all over, Weiss turned slightly and hide herself in Blake's coat, pressing her bleeding arm tightly between the two of them.

"Blake… I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

She was getting blood all over Blake's clothes…

Weiss felt dizzy.

With a whimper, she collapsed to her knees, slipping from Blake's arms as she clutched at the wound.

"B-Blake, I-I... don't want to die…" she choked. "What do I do…?"

. . .

Blake kept crying, holding onto Weiss as tightly as she could. When Weiss dropped to the floor, Blake went with her, trying not to jostle her.

She could smell the pungent tang of the blood so strongly it caused bile to rise up her throat. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked at the cut on Weiss' arm. It wasn't too deep but it was very long.

In spite of the terror ripping through her, Blake somehow managed to fight past it and remember what needed to be done for something as dire as this.

They needed to call an ambulance. But Blake feared the mere suggestion of that would throw Weiss into a panic; her father would probably find out if they did that. Blake wanted to make that call more than anything, but...

But if she could get it under control herself and prevent Weiss' father from finding out, it would be to Weiss' benefit.

So in spite of her better judgement, Blake refrained from making the call.

"Just- keep pressure on it to slow the bleeding. I need something to bandage you with. I-Is there any gauze or anything in the house I can use, Weiss?" She started looking around frantically for something that might work.

. . .

Weiss heard the panic in Blake's voice as she started asking questions.

But Weiss couldn't think clearly. Her mind and heart were frantic as she clutched at her arm, but blood continued slipping through her fingers. She needed to focus on what Blake was asking her.

Weiss sniffled, blinking away more and more tears.

"Th-The bathroom," she whimpered. "I-I think…" She looked up in the direction Blake needed to go. But then Weiss directed her petrified gaze into those familiar golden eyes. "Y-You'll come back, right? You won't… leave me…? P-Please don't let me die, Blake. I don't want to... _I'm sorry_ …"

She hunched forward, until her head was in her bloodied lap, her teeth biting into the material of her nightgown as her body continued to shudder.

. . .

Blake hugged Weiss again, as much to reassure herself as the other girl.

"I _promise_ I'll come back. I won't leave you, and I won't let you die. We only just met." The fear that had been striking in her heart melted away into a fiery conviction instead. Blake inhaled sharply. "Just keep applying pressure and I'll go get whatever I can to bandage you up."

Blake swayed a little as she stood, hating to leave Weiss like this, but she had no choice.

She rushed out of the kitchen, heading in the direction Weiss had indicated. It was an average sized room near the staircase and Blake hurried in, flicking the light switch on. She started rummaging through the cabinet under the sink, trying to find gauze or anything that might work.

The seconds seemed to drag, and after looking for a moment, she started to panic that there wouldn't be anything.

She was about to give up and try searching somewhere else when a small box tucked in the corner caught her attention. With a sigh of relief she realized she had found gauze and a roll of bandage wrap. Grabbing it all, she raced back into the kitchen.

Weiss was still kneeling on the floor, gripping her bleeding arm. Blake dropped down beside her.

"All right Weiss, h-hold your arm out. I need to clean some of the blood away before I can bandage it." Blake scrambled up again, grabbed some paper towels, wet them in the blood-stained sink, and then dropped back down to her knees.

. . .

She whimpered in relief when Blake reappeared, and Weiss lifted herself up slowly. The absolute last thing she wanted was for the other girl to call 9-1-1, because that would cause a huge scene and surely enrage her father even further.

His anger wouldn't have mattered if Weiss had succeeded in killing herself, but now she was resolved to _live_.

Because Blake was here now.

At least this amount of blood was possible to could clean up, but if they waited much longer, Weiss might lose more than could be handled without medical attention.

She might die after all…

She shook her head, unwilling to believe that. Blake had said she wouldn't let her die.

Still shaking, Weiss held out her arm, taking one of the paper towels from Blake with quivering fingers and pressing it against her right arm. Weiss sobbed again as she watched crimson spread across the wet paper in seconds, and she scrambled for another.

"I'm sorry…" she rasped. "Th-The first time you meet me and I'm already causing you trouble…"

. . .

Blake pressed some paper towels to Weiss' arm, watching the white turning red in the blink of an eye. But after a few more paper towels, the blood didn't spread as quickly. Blake sighed, at least a little relieved that the bleeding was slowing.

"Don't apologize. I'm your friend, so that means I'm always here to help. You don't need to apologize. I'm glad this is the first time I met you if it means I could help." Blake was surprised at how level-headed she felt in all of this. She grabbed the bandage wrap and started to press it around Weiss' arm. "This may hurt a little bit, but I have to make it tight."

She made sure she was thorough and didn't miss covering a single centimeter of the cut. Her fingers were trembling, but she managed to work quickly and efficiently.

When she was finished she tied the bandage off and then sat back, checking over her work.

"A-All right... That should work, though we'll have to change the bandages later. H-How are you feeling now?"

. . .

Weiss remained still as Blake knelt down beside her and began wrapping her arm. Tears were still dripping down her face, and little hiccups kept escaping her lips all the while. But she quieted gradually as the bleeding slowed, and she felt a bit of warmth spreading in her chest when Blake called her a friend.

She still couldn't believe this. Blake… Blake was here now. She'd saved her life _again._ She'd ran all the way here on nothing but concern for Weiss and saved her just in time.

She was definitely Weiss' guardian angel.

Weiss winced as the other girl tightened the bandages, but she knew it was only to help her. There was blood all over the kitchen floor, as well as on her nightgown and the sink. Just seeing it was making her nauseous now.

"I'm…" Weiss hiccuped again. "I'm still a little dizzy… and cold… but…" Her eyes met Blake's again, steady only for a second before overflowing all over again. "I can't believe you… you saved me again, Blake… even after I broke my promise to you…" She bowed her head guiltily, wanting to hug her friend more than anything, but not feeling worthy of doing so.

. . .

Blake finished bandaging Weiss' arm, putting the remaining supplies back in the box before straightening up. Weiss was still crying slightly, with tears dripping down her face and the occasional hiccup escaping her lips.

 _Thank god I got here when I did..._

Looking around, Blake realized the blood was everywhere. She had no idea when someone else might come home.

"Take it easy," she said. "Wait till you get your strength back. And I already told you, you don't have to apologize. I don't care that you broke your promise. I just care that you're all right." Blake reached out gently and brushed her fingers against Weiss' temple. Weiss bowed her head, and Blake wrapped both arms around her.

"I'll always be here for you, Weiss. You're my friend. You're important to me. And I don't want lose you..." She rubbed Weiss' back, and let her rest her head against her shoulder.

. . .

Weiss hiccuped harder as she listened to everything Blake was saying. But the instant she felt the pair of arms around her, she all but burst into tears, clinging to Blake's shoulders tightly, with every remaining shred of strength in her body. Her voice rose up in a loud wail, but she tried to stifle it in Blake's hair.

Blake was… so warm.

Weiss had never felt so warm before in all her life. The awful frigidness that had assaulted her all through the night and this morning melted away in a matter of seconds. Weiss was convinced there wasn't another person on the planet who ever could have had such an effect on her.

She was broken, but when she was with Blake, she felt like she was being healed at long last. Little by little.

Weiss cried for a few minutes, whimpering Blake's name repeatedly in between sobs. When she finally started to quiet down, she nestled her face into Blake's neck.

"S-Sorry," she mumbled again. "I think... I'm okay now… I-I mean I think… will… will you stay with me? Just for a while…?"

. . .

Blake held Weiss close to her, wanting to share her warmth with a girl who couldn't seem to stop shivering.

"Of course I will. I wasn't going to just leave you here." Blake gave a small smile as squeezed Weiss gently. "We had plans to meet today and I intend to see that through till the end."

They stood slowly, leaning on one another. Weiss wobbled, but Blake stayed close until she found her balance. She glanced at the state of the kitchen again and shuddered.

"You should go sit down and rest. I'll clean this up." She debates her next words, but eventually speaks them more carefully. "Would you... like me to call 9-1-1? I think you should go to a hospital..."

She already knows what Weiss' answer is going to be to that, and Blake knows she'll never be able to force the idea if it will only put Weiss in more danger from her father. But she just had to try.

. . .

Weiss grimaced, feeling another wave of guilt rise up in her chest. She looked at the floor smeared with red.

"I... I'd like to change…" Her nightgown was stained with crimson. Her arms and legs were bare and she was still shivering a bit despite Blake's closeness. "And I don't want to call 9-1-1. They'll only make a scene and if my father comes home and finds out…" She trailed off, jolting as a prickle ran up her spine.

Her eyes met Blake's once more, still nervous and hesitant. "I think I should stay at home. If my father finds I was gone, he'll be angry. But... if he sees you came over here, he'll think we were doing a project... so he probably won't mind. We can stay in my room," she offered.

. . .

Blake felt a spark of anger in her stomach at the mention of Weiss' father. It was _his_ fault Weiss had been driven to this, and now she's too scared to even get proper medical treatment because of him.

Part of Blake wants him to come home when she's here so she can get a good hit off on him. But the other part doesn't know if she'd be able to hold back if given the opportunity.

She takes in a steadying breath - for Weiss' sake.

"All right. You just rest for a minute and I'll clean up. Once I'm done here, I'll help you up stairs so you can change."

Blake helped Weiss into a cushioned chair in the nearby living room, then returned to the gruesome scene in the kitchen. She steeled herself and wetted some paper towels before getting started.

Blake worked silently, cleaning up all the blood from the sink and floor. It hadn't dried yet so it was easy to clean at the very least. But it made her sick just thinking about it. All of it was Weiss'.

She couldn't let herself think about it.

Once she had finished cleaning, Blake grabbed more paper towels to dry everything off. When she tossed it all away she pushed everything to the bottom of the trash can and covered it with more crumpled paper towels so the bloodstains wouldn't be visible when looking in.

Satisfied, she washed her hands off, then returned to Weiss, who had been watching her quietly all the while.

"All right, let's go upstairs." Blake offered her hand and helped Weiss out of the chair.

They took it one step at a time.

"Weiss, listen... I've been thinking and... we don't have to call 9-1-1 if you don't want to. But I want you to come to my house and spend the night... I don't think you're safe here."

. . .

They limped to the stairs and headed up one step at a time, keeping hold of one another all the while. Weiss was relieved to hear Blake had dismissed the idea of calling 9-1-1, but she gasped at what she suggested after that.

"A-At _your_ house? I don't…" She trailed off as they reached the top of the steps, and Weiss slowly led the way to her room. "Well… maybe if I wrote a note saying I went to someone's house to work on a project… I think that could work." She looked up to Blake worriedly. "But I don't want to trouble you, Blake. I've already put you through all of this today…"

Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to stay with Blake tonight, away from her father. But she didn't want to impose.

. . .

Blake let Weiss direct her where to go, but she was the one to get them there. Blake made sure to never let her support waver, lest Weiss stumble.

"You couldn't trouble me if you tried. I want to help you, Weiss. You'd be putting me through more if I went home without you and had to worry about you being _here_ all night."

They stopped in front of a bedroom door Blake could only assume was Weiss', and Blake carefully brought her inside.

"You should change and grab a fresh pair of clothes if you want to come to my house. I'm going to wait outside... unless you need some help?" Her voice trailed off awkwardly as she stood up from helping Weiss sit on her enormous bed.

. . .

Weiss didn't have a response to Blake's reasoning of swapping houses tonight; she'd never thought about it that way before, about how the _other_ party involved would feel. There'd never _been_ anyone else for Weiss to consider before.

There'd never been anyone to consider _Weiss_ before, either.

At Blake's offer to help her change, Weiss quickly replied in the negative.

"No… I'll be fine. If not, I'll call for you. I… I promise."

It was difficult to say, considering she'd broken her last promise to Blake. But Weiss didn't intend to do that ever again.

She waited for the other girl to exit the room, heart fluttering at the deep-rooted concern she saw in Blake's eyes as she slowly closed the door behind her.

Weiss waited a few minutes and simply sat on her bed. Her eyes trailed over her wrists, over the bandages that were crusted with red. There was still a throbbing all up and down her right arm, and the shaking hadn't stopped either. When she waited a moment too long, she found the tears had returned as well.

Slowly, she rose from the bed and limped to her dresser, leaning heavily against it as she shed her nightgown. She weakly struggled her way into a long white skirt and a blue sweater that covered her wrists. She tied her hair into a messy ponytail and gathered a fresh nightgown, hiding the bloody one under her bed to wash when she returned.

Finding a bag, she packed her fresh nightgown and some clean undergarments along with her phone and charger. She then paused at her desk to write a note, informing her father and sister where she'd be. Her left hand still trembled slightly, but her calligraphy was calm and clear.

When she was finished, she stumbled back to the door, catching her breath as she leaned against it.

Part of her expected Blake to be gone for whatever reason, to have abandoned her in her time of need. But she shook those thoughts away and took another breath before stepping out into the hallway.

. . .

Blake had sat down on the floor and rested her head against the wall, just to take a moment to calm down. Ever since last night she had been tense and worried, and it had only increased as time had passed. But now it was finally starting to drain away.

A soft clicking noise told her a door was opening, and she knew Weiss was the only other person in the house. Standing up, she looked at Weiss in her new sweater and skirt.

"You look very pretty." Blake smiled, and with all of the emotions swirling inside her chest right now, she couldn't stop herself from wrapping Weiss in another hug. " Are you ready to go? It's not a long walk, but we can take it at your speed."

. . .

The sudden compliment from Blake had Weiss nearly stumbling out of sheer disbelief. Had it not been for the other girl standing up to hug her, Weiss was certain she would have fallen.

Never before in all her life had she heard those four words spoken to her by _anyone_ \- not even her own family. And just in case that hadn't been enough to make her start crying again, Blake's embrace made Weiss actually _believe_ those words.

She clung to Blake's back for as long as the embrace lasted, crying softly all over again, but for once, it wasn't the painful kind of crying.

Blake had just made her happier than she'd ever been before in all her life. After everything she'd put Blake through that morning - all that worry and panic and fear - Weiss had hated herself for it all. She'd been ridden with guilt and self-loathing since the second her friend had rushed in to help her.

But now, Weiss couldn't even believe this was real.

There was no one else in the world who could make her smile like she had those past few nights chatting and texting.

There was no one else in the world who would have stopped her from killing herself.

There was no one else in the world who would invite her over for the night to ensure she was safe.

And there was certainly _no one_ else in the world who would hug Weiss twice in less than an hour and tell her she was pretty.

Weiss sobbed for another moment, swallowing thickly as she tried to control herself. When at last she could nod her head and step away, she still kept one hand in Blake's.

"Yes…" she whimpered, wiping her eyes. "Let's… let's go… I want to come with you more than anything."

. . .

Blake smiled warmly to match the feeling wreathing itself around her heart.

"All right. Let's go. We'll take our time. We aren't in any rush." They started walking down the hall towards the stairs, and she added, "Lean on me if you need to."

Weiss did.

With caution, they made their way down the stairs together until they were back on the first floor by the front door. Blake paused there and look down at Weiss.

"Hey, Weiss? ...I know I've already said this but... I'm really glad you're all right."

. . .

As they went down the stairs, Blake's tone of voice was soothing and calm - un-rushed - and it relieved Weiss. Blake wasn't pushing her at all to hurry, and it was a nice feeling to be given as much time as she needed for this.

They conquered the stairs before long, stopping in front of the door. Weiss kept a tight grip on Blake's hand, squeezing gently.

"I'm only all right because of you, Blake," she murmured. "Thank you for inviting me to come back with you. I… I'm not sure I'd be okay staying here by myself tonight…"

She hugged Blake again briefly, still trembling a little. When she pulled away, Weiss left her note to her family on the table in the living room where she knew her father would see it.

She then grabbed a coat from the closet and slipped it over herself, taking a deep breath before she'd have to face the cold winter outside.

"All right," she said, securing her bag over her shoulder and taking Blake's hand once more. "Let's go then."

. . .

Blake smiled, and a warm feeling bloomed in her chest knowing that she was as important to Weiss as Weiss was to her.

"You'll be completely safe at my house. Maybe when we get there we can watch a movie or something. I'll make you some dinner, too."

Blake opened the door and gave Weiss' hand a gentle, encouraging tug. Weiss seemed hesitant to leave, but Blake waited for her.

When at last Weiss took that step, Blake's smile widened.

The door closed behind them as they left the mansion behind.

Blake vowed that tonight she would take care of Weiss.

Tonight, Blake would make sure she was safe.

She tightened her grip on Weiss' delicate hand and stayed close to her side as they began that first walk together.

Blake hoped there'd be many more to come.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, Blake gets to her in time! No, this isn't the end of their story! I just had to end this scene here before this chapter got too incredibly long. There's plenty more to come!**

 **Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm still so shocked people are loving this fic as much as they are! And I'm so glad everything enjoyed the previous chapter! Thanks so much!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 7.

"It's not that far," Blake smiled to Weiss. "Just follow me. And tell me if you need us to slow down."

They walked down the street, retracing the path Blake had taken to get to Weiss' house. The were going at a slower pace but Blake didn't mind; as long as Weiss was all right.

The sun had shifted in the time since she had last been outside so the cold was a little less biting. And Weiss was also walking right next to her, hugging her arm closely enough that Blake could feel some of her warmth.

. . .

Weiss kept close to Blake, clinging onto her arm tightly - for support, for warmth, and for security. She hadn't gone out walking in her neighborhood in months; the most she often did was walk to and from the bus stop.

The day was cold despite the warm sunlight. Blake was walking slowly to ensure Weiss could keep up, and the white-haired girl appreciated that her friend was putting her wellbeing above all else.

But as they continued to walk, Weiss found it was getting more difficult to breathe. She was beginning to remember the dangers of her condition that made her especially prone to the cold.

The air that might've been just an unpleasant chill to a normal person seemed to freeze her lungs with every inhale. Weiss was shuddering within minutes, shaking from her core, her breath white and wheezing as she clung to her friend.

"B-B-Blake…" she rasped. "A-Are we… almost there…?"

. . .

Blake was shocked to hear Weiss' voice so fragile and trembling after they'd only been out here for a few minutes. It made her remember something Weiss had told her over chats, that she was especially bad with the cold.

"We're almost there. Just a few more minutes." She squeezed her arm around Weiss' a little. "Sorry. I forgot you had a problem with the cold."

So quickened their pace a bit for Weiss' sake, hoping to both warm her up a bit and also get her inside sooner. Weiss still shuddered, but kept up with Blake until her house was in sight. Pulling out her key, Blake opened the front door and ushered Weiss in.

"There. Make yourself comfortable, Weiss. I'll go grab us some blankets."

. . .

She felt miserable for making Blake worry yet again, but Weiss didn't even want to risk speaking an apology, lest it allow more freezing air into her lungs. She kept hold of Blake as they hurried to the door and fumbled their way inside.

There was a comforting warmth all inside the house, and Weiss could feel it very slightly past the residual chill over her skin. She nodded as Blake hurried off.

Weiss exhaled and stumbled over to the carpet. She all but collapsed to her knees, putting her bag aside. She leaned back against the couch in the living room, closing her eyes as her body continued to shudder almost convulsively. Weiss hugged herself and pulled her knees to her chest, trying to calm herself down.

 _It's fine_ , she told herself. _Everything's going to be fine. Blake's here. We're safe..._

. . .

Blake ran up the stairs and right into her room, grabbing the decorative blanket off of her bed and bundling it up in her arms. When she hurried back downstairs, she found Weiss sitting against the back of the couch in the living room. Her heart clenched a little.

"Here you go, Weiss. Let me get this around you." Blake moved close to crouch down beside her and drape the blanket over the other girl's shaking shoulders. She couldn't help but rub her hand up and down over Weiss' back softly. "Let's go to the kitchen and I'll get you something warm to drink, okay?"

Blake gave her a moment to warm up, then helped her friend stand. She led her into the humble kitchen and brought her to a seat at the table. Blake started heating up a cup of water for some tea when her cat suddenly jumped up on the counter, looking from her to the stranger and back.

"Oh, sorry. You need some lunch, huh? Let me do that while the water is heating up." She moved to grab the bag of cat food and cleared her throat to address her guest. "Hey Weiss? Do you have any preference for how you take your tea?"

. . .

Weiss had been watching the black cat as he rubbed against her legs and mewled at her. She smiled a little, reaching down to pet his head before he ran off toward Blake for food. Weiss clutched the blanket closer to her chest, finally feeling the warmth starting to seep into her cold skin.

Blake was at the counter, and Weiss could smell the tea leaves.

"Just a bit of milk," she replied softly. "No sugar, please."

The house was comfortably quiet, and her eyes traveled back to the cat scarfing down food from its dish.

"What's your cat's name?" she wondered, trying to find an excuse to talk to Blake more.

. . .

Blake put the cat's food in the dish and stepped away as he jumped at it.

"Fang. He's a rescue we adopted. He didn't have a name and we thought Fang was appropriate because he nipped all of us when we first got him. He hasn't bitten anyone since, though."

When the tea was ready, she brought it over to the table along with a small container of milk and took a seat next to Weiss. "I don't know how long you want to let it steep. Just take it out whenever you want. Are you feeling any warmer yet, or should I go turn the heat up?"

. . .

Weiss contented herself with watching the cat for a few moments until Blake walked over and set the tea down in front of her. Weiss dipped her head by means of thanks as the girl sat down beside her.

"No, it's fine. I'm feeling much warmer already." She reached for the milk and added a bit into her cup, using a spoon to stir it before bringing it to her lips. Weiss blew on it for a moment before taking a few sips; the subtle flavor was the first thing she'd tasted since yesterday morning. It soothed her throat and seemed to defrost her chilled chest, and Weiss hummed softly.

"It's delicious. Thank you again, Blake." Weiss slid her chair a bit closer to her companion's, until their shoulders brushed. Her body more or less moved on its own as she leaned sideways, pressing a small kiss to Blake's cheek. Once she realized what she'd done, she jolted and pulled back.

"I-I'm sorry, I just mean it as thanks-" she squeaked.

. . .

Blake stiffened a little, but only felt even warmer herself when she felt Weiss' lips on her skin.

"I-It's all right," she mumbled. "I'm glad you like the tea. It's chamomile with a little honey - my personal favorite."

Blake didn't mind Weiss' proximity one bit. In fact she enjoyed it.

. . .

Weiss put a hand to her mouth, about to burst out into more apologies. But when she saw Blake wasn't angry and her said she didn't mind, Weiss relaxed again. Her hand dropped back into her lap and she remembered to breathe.

"S-Sorry…" she said again. "I didn't mean to."

Promptly, she turned back to her tea, looking down at the cup rather than at Blake. She picked up the cup again and took a few more sips, but she didn't slide away from Blake. She was still anxious though, prepared to apologize more or move away if Blake asked her to, but she never did.

Weiss couldn't think of anything else to say, so she simply indulged in her tea, flashing glances at the cat and a few back to Blake.

She noticed Blake's cheeks were as red as her own felt.

. . .

They sat together with only the sounds of Fang eating to disturb the quiet. Blake's face was still on fire, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Weiss. She hadn't minded the kiss anymore than the closeness. In fact, she'd enjoyed the kiss even more, but she wasn't sure how to act now.

 _Should I... kiss her back?_

As she debated, Fang finish his food and wandered over to the table to inspect the stranger in the house. He decided she was friendly and started rubbing against Weiss' leg.

"You... aren't allergic to cats are you?" Blake asked after a moment, looking up at Weiss and noticing the other girl's cheeks were just as red as Blake imagined her own were.

. . .

She was relieved when Blake broke the silence with a question.

"No," she replied. "I've always loved cats. But Father never allowed us to have one. He says there's no purpose in keeping pets." She reached down to scratch Fang's head, smiling fondly as he purred. "But I know that's not true. They can be your best friend. I'd love to have a cat to keep me company." Fang jumped into her lap, and Weiss paused for a moment. "I remember reading something online once, how a cat's purrs can help calm a person down…"

She scooped the animal into her arms, feeling the little vibrations against her chest. She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, letting out a long breath.

After a moment, she got so comfortable that she slumped sideways, leaning onto Blake's side as the cat curled in her lap.

. . .

Blake was content to just sit there and talk to Weiss, and she was happy to learn more about her friend. She smiled at the sight of Weiss with her eyes closed and the cat snuggling into her arms. She looked so peaceful and calm, and Blake could hardly believe this was the same girl who had stood over the sink with a knife at her wrist only an hour earlier.

If Blake hadn't been there for her then, Weiss wouldn't be here with her now.

She shudders to think about it, and ends up nuzzling her face into Weiss' hair a little.

They sat like that for several minutes, Weiss resting her head on Blake's shoulder while Fang lay curled in her lap. Blake only broke the silence with a soft voice.

"Would you... like to go into the living room or to my room?"

. . .

Weiss probably would've fallen asleep had Blake not spoken to rouse her. She stirred, and the cat stretched before jumping off her lap and back to the floor. She instantly missed the warmth, but hoped she could find something even more comforting in Blake.

"Oh, if it would be all right, then yes please." She pulled away from her friend's side and took the final sip of her tea. Another shiver ran through her, and she clutched the blanket closer to her chest.

"I'd love to see your room. But would that be okay? Do your parents know I'm here? Is it okay for me to go into your room without even meeting them?"

. . .

Blake stood, helping Weiss up at the same time. Fang stood a few feet away from them, observing to see what their next move would be.

"Yeah, my parents know I was meeting with a friend today. They won't mind." Blake looked around the kitchen and spotted a familiar note. "They don't get home till late anyway, so it's just me here."

Taking Weiss' hand, she lead her through the house, pointing out anything she thought was vaguely interesting as they went upstairs. When she opened her door she winced a little at the slight disarray.

"Sorry for the mess. I didn't have a chance to clean my room. I was... in a rush this morning to leave when I saw you hadn't answered my messages..."

. . .

The journey up the stairs was slow, but once they reached Blake's room, Weiss was eager to see it.

"It's not messy at all! It's actually quite homely," she said, before her voice grew softer, her smile fading. "I'm… sorry again for worrying you. If you hadn't worried, I… I wouldn't be here right now. So thank you again, Blake."

She could feel the tears welling up once more and quickly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Blake from behind and burying her face in her hair.

"I'm so lucky to have met you, Blake. You're my savior…"

. . .

Blake felt her heart skip and then soar when Weiss' arms wrapped around her. She lifted her own hands up slowly to cover Weiss' with them.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm lucky to have met you, Weiss. I've never had a friend like you before."

They stood like that for a few moments. Blake wondered if Weiss could feel her racing heartbeat. Turning around in the embrace, Blake wrapped her arms around the smaller girl more tightly, hugging her back. Her heart felt like it was in her throat as she kissed Weiss on the forehead.

"Thanks... for trusting me."

. . .

Blake shifted, and for a moment, Weiss feared she'd be shaken off or pushed away. But she should've known Blake would never do that - not to her.

Weiss found herself pressed against Blake's chest now, her head tucked beneath the taller girl's chin. Weiss slipped her arms around Blake's torso and hugged tightly, her shoulders jolting a little with a single sob of relief. Her ear was pressed to Blake's collar, and when she was quiet, she could feel the faint thump of her pulse.

Weiss had never before in all her life felt anyone else's heartbeat but her own. It was strange but… indescribably nice, comforting.

She pressed closer, wanting to listen as best as she could.

"Blake?" she murmured. "Can we… sit on the bed for a moment and just… stay like this?"

. . .

They stood like that for a moment, with Weiss' head resting against her collar, listening to her heart. Blake hugged her a little closer, a reminder that she was there for her.

"Of course we can."

She eased away from the white-haired girl, but Blake still held her hand as she lead her over to the bed. Blake sat down first, getting comfortable before patting the spot next to herself as an invitation to Weiss.

Blake's heart was racing the entire time, and she just had to pray Weiss couldn't hear it.

. . .

Weiss sat beside her a little timidly, pulling the blanket on her shoulders tighter around herself before slipping half of it around Blake. She pressed closely into her side, hugging her midsection again as she returned to her prior position, pressing her ear to Blake's collar to listen.

She closed her eyes and engraved the rhythm of Blake's heartbeat into her mind, memorizing it for future days to come where she'd be without it. It was fast and nervous, but it was out of concern for _Weiss_. No one else had ever cared for her so deeply before.

"Thank you, Blake," she whispered. "I've needed this a lot. I really…" She trailed off, whimpering again. "You heart sounds so nice. Do you think… do you think mine does too?"

She'd never been close enough to allow someone else to feel her heart before, but she knew she wouldn't want anything more if Blake could be the first.

. . .

Blake's heart only started to slow down when Weiss' soft voice addressed her. Blake smiled and shifted her embrace a little.

"I'm sure it does. Let me listen."

She coaxed Weiss to straighten her posture a bit so Blake could press her ear against the smaller girl's chest. She could hear the beat of Weiss' heart faintly; it was a quiet sound, but something about it soothed Blake. If she were cat like Fang, she knew she'd start purring.

"It sounds perfect, Weiss," she murmured. "I love it."

She raised her head slowly and looked at her friend, only just realizing how close they were. She gazed into Weiss' pure blue eyes like winter skies.

This was the closest she had ever been to another person, both physically and emotionally. Something about Weiss just made Blake comfortable. She was easily and happily able to connect with this girl.

. . .

Weiss became profoundly emotional when Blake pressed close to her chest and spoke softly. Weiss liked sharing her heartbeat if it could be with Blake. She wrapped her arms around the other girl and held her gently, keeping her close.

Weiss savored those few moments like nothing else, savoring Blake's warmth.

It was when Blake said that word - ' _perfect_ ' - when Weiss started to tear up again.

Never in all her life had she heard that word in reference to herself.

"Perfect…" she mumbled, voice wobbling as she looked into Blake's eyes. "No one's ever…"

Weiss put a hand to her mouth as more tears dripped down. But for once, they weren't bad tears. Her heart swelled with emotion as she reached her hands up toward Blake and hugged her softly.

"I… I don't know what's wrong with me, Blake," she whispered. "Ever since you came to me, I've felt so warm inside… My chest hurts, but… it's not in a _bad_ way like it usually is. My heart's racing too… Should I be worried? Is there something wrong with me…? I really like you, and I'm grateful for all you've done for me, so… what is all this...?"

. . .

As Blake lost herself in Weiss' eyes, she noticed when the tears start to well up. Weiss pulled her into another hug, and Blake listened quietly as she expressed her confusion.

The feelings Weiss talked about were similar to the ones Blake herself had been feeling.

She wasn't sure if she knew what it meant either, but she had an idea.

Blake drew in a steadying breath and chose her words carefully.

"No. I don't think you should be worried, Weiss. I've been feeling the same way. You're the first person I've ever connected with so deeply and… ever since this morning my heart's been racing when I'm around you. The thought of talking to you and meeting you has made me feel so happy and warm inside."

Blake pulled away from the hug enough to look in Weiss' eyes again. Gently she wiped away several of the tears that were sliding down the girl's cheeks.

"Weiss... can I… can I kiss you?"

. . .

Blake's words reassured her that what she was feeling wasn't bad. There was nothing wrong with her.

Weiss breathed a sigh of relief, glad to welcome the ache in her chest if it was something Blake was sharing and if it meant good things.

When she met Blake's golden eyes once more, Weiss felt her breath hitch.

Blake-

Blake… wanted to kiss her?

Weiss couldn't even comprehend the meaning of her request for a long moment. She simply sat beside her on the bed, shocked as she tried to configure her swarming thoughts.

"Blake…" she rasped, more tears falling. "You can't… you can't possibly want to do that. No one would ever want to do something like that… Not with me…"

Weiss shook her head, losing Blake's gaze for a moment as she tried to calm her breathing. Her hands found Blake's in her lap and she squeezed tightly for support to keep herself from falling off the bed.

She…

She wanted to.

She wanted to kiss Blake, too.

Weiss swayed, but kept herself up by clinging to the other girl's hands. She searched those golden eyes, finding not a single trace of deception - nothing but the honest truth.

It was those heartfelt emotions that brought Weiss to finally answer.

"If you… if you really mean it… then yes."

. . .

Blake waited nervously, her heart racing as Weiss sat staring back at her in disbelief.

And at first, it wasn't the response Blake was hoping for.

 _Of course. There's no way she'd say yes. Why did I ask her that...?_

Blake started to panic, afraid now of Weiss' reaction. Eventually Weiss averted her eyes, and her hands reached over to grab Blake's.

The two of them sat together for what felt like an eternity. The only thing Blake had to measure the passing seconds with was the frantic beat of her heart.

Finally Weiss looked back up at her and gave her consent.

Blake thought her heart might explode.

She swallowed as Weiss willingly closed her eyes. Blake did the same and leaned forward until their lips met.

The warmth she felt in her chest spread to the rest of her body, chasing off the winter cold in a second.

. . .

She'd never done anything like this before, not even in her dreams. It was a miracle that Weiss managed to close her eyes in time before Blake's lips reached her own, and she wasn't sure what to do; was she supposed to hold her breath? Breathe through her nose, or not?

She didn't have enough time to think before she was lost in the contact and the ensuing emotions. A warmth sparked and flared in her stomach and Weiss shivered, but not from cold this time. Her fingers curled subconsciously into Blake's hands, unwilling to let go.

She savored that brief moment, counting every heartbeat, focusing on Blake - on that warmth. Of all the seconds in all the years in her life thus far that had felt utterly meaningless, these were the first ones that didn't. She felt like she was _worth_ something when she was kissing Blake, like her heartbeats were important - like she was wanted.

A few more tears ran down the already-existing trails over her cheeks, but Weiss was just relieved she'd managed not to jolt or pull away by accident.

When they did part a few seconds later, it was soft, and their eyelids fluttered open until their eyes met again. Weiss was positively lost in those amber pools. Had Blake never saved her this morning… Weiss never would have known this profound feeling that was coursing through her now.

She found her voice slowly.

"Was… that okay…?"

. . .

The only thing Blake could focus on was the soft touch of Weiss' lips on hers. She didn't know what she should be doing, she just enjoyed the moment and let it play out naturally. She felt Weiss' fingers intertwine with her own and she gave a small squeeze.

She had always been a quiet person, and she had always had trouble connecting with others on an emotional level.

But when she had met Weiss, something about the other girl had made Blake feel comfortable like she had never been before. She was always _happy_ when talking to Weiss.

She had thought it was just friendship. But now...

When they pulled away from the kiss, Blake smiled as she stared into Weiss' eyes, calm and clear.

"Yes... it was okay. I-It was _better_ than okay. A lot better..." Blake sputtered. "W-Was it okay for you...?"

. . .

Her stomach flipped, but in a good way - an excited way - when she heard Blake's response.

"Really? I'm so glad. Because I… I really liked it. I really…"

Her voice trailed off, eyes fixated on Blake's, unable to look away. A fire had been ignited within her cold body. For a person who'd nearly taken her own life a few hours ago, Weiss had never felt so _alive_.

"It was more than okay for me, too," she murmured. "Can we…"

 _Do it again…?_

Her eyes finished the question, and Blake's answered it. There was no refusal there, no uncertainty that this one would be any less wonderful than the first.

Weiss kept one hand over Blake's, freeing the other and bringing it to her friend's cheek. She brushed their noses together softly before initiating the kiss this time, breathing onto Blake's lips. She pushed her mouth to hers, wanting Blake to feel the same things she was feeling.

. . .

Blake instantly understood the look in the other girl's eyes; she assumed it was similar to the one in her own eyes.

Weiss' hand raised to her cheek, touching it lightly as she brought their faces closer. Their noses brushed lightly before Weiss initiated the kiss this time.

And just like with the first kiss, the warmth in Blake's chest bloomed at the contact between her lips and Weiss'.

They held the kiss longer this time, more sure of themselves and their desire for each other. When they finally pulled away Blake pressed her forehead to Weiss' and laughed lightly.

"Yes, I _definitely_ liked it the second time as well."

. . .

Weiss couldn't help but giggle at Blake's comment - her first giggle in more years than she could remember.

"Me too," she whispered, hugging her tightly.

The force of her hug had the both of them falling over onto their sides on the bed, bouncing lightly together, wrapped in the blanket. Weiss shifted it so that the cover was on top of them both, and she cuddled closer to Blake beneath it.

"So warm…" she murmured. "You're so warm, Blake. I've never felt so warm before in all my life. Thank you…" She squeezed her tighter still, nuzzling into Blake's collar. "I've never felt so loved. I don't think I ever was…"

. . .

Blake felt like she was basking in the warmth of the sun, and yet there was no sunlight to be seen.

"You're welcome," she replied. Blake hugged her closer, running her hands through Weiss long hair. "Well, you don't have to worry about that now. I'm here for you, and I _do_ love you."

She didn't think it through before speaking, but she didn't regret the words one bit once they were said.

. . .

Weiss grew still, though her hold on Blake only tightened. She didn't speak for a moment after that, simply breathing together with her.

When she finally found her voice again, it was small, but certain.

"Love…" she mumbled experimentally. "Yes... I think that's it, Blake. I love you, too. I love you…"

She slid up a little, looking deeply into her friend's eyes. Weiss kissed her again, chaste and soft, but so very warm. When she pulled away, she sighed, finding she was crying once more.

She wiped her eyes, burying her face in Blake's shoulder and squeezing her again.

"I… I'm tired, Blake. But I don't want to sleep, yet. Please, I just… I want to keep living like this with you. I don't want to stop…"

. . .

Blake thought she may have said something wrong when Weiss stopped talking, and laid still next to her. But before very much longer, Weiss extinguished her fears.

"I'm glad you feel the same way," Blake smiled. "Or else I might've passed out from embarrassment." Blake tried to joke, tried to hide the fact that her heart had done a flip every time Weiss had said she loved her.

Weiss kissed her again and Blake joyfully let it happen. When they parted, Weiss was crying again, but Blake felt all right in knowing it was only for happiness.

"You _can_ , Weiss. Just keep living and I'll be here with you. I promise." Blake switched positions and rolled onto her back, pulling Weiss with her until the other girl was lying on top. "And I just might be able to guarantee a few more kisses," she teased, giving Weiss a quick peck on the cheek.

. . .

Weiss made a small sound of surprise as she was pulled onto Blake's stomach. She curled her hands on the other girl's chest for a moment, blushing and silently worrying she might've been too heavy.

But Blake seemed just as comfortable as Weiss did, and the smaller girl gradually relaxed. She slipped her arms beneath Blake's shoulders a little, snuggling closer beneath the warm blankets. She giggled at Blake's kiss, and Weiss nuzzled her nose affectionately and returned the favor.

"Thank you, Blake."

Weiss rested her head over Blake's collar, listening to her heartbeat once more. There was so much more she wanted to say and do, but as she lay there now, waves of fatigue crashed over her, slowly dragging at her conscious.

It wasn't much longer before Weiss had fallen into a light, drowsy slumber.

. . .

Blake could tell Weiss was starting to fall asleep before long. She pulled her a little closer, cradling Weiss' head underneath her chin.

"You must be tired. It's been an exhausting day for you. For both of us..."

Her hands slowly started rubbing a pattern up and down Weiss' back. Blake could feel the same exhaustion that had claimed Weiss start to come over her. With a yawn, her eyes started to close. But ultimately her lips settled into a smile.

"I don't think either of us have had a girlfriend before..."

She made a sound pretty close to a purr as she finally fell asleep together with Weiss.

* * *

 **A/N: Gosh, some of these I had to edit so much I basically re-wrote them, but I'm glad you guys are enjoying it! The romance has begun to blossom!**

 **Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter will be a bit of a change of pace now. A little less stress and drama, and a little more domestic fluff, just like they deserve.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 8.

When Weiss next woke, she was confused as to what had happened for a moment. She found herself lying on top of Blake, but their legs were dangling slightly off the side of the bed; they'd laid down on it horizontally, and hadn't actually meant to fall asleep.

The room that had been bright with daylight before was now shrouded in dim lighting, suggesting it was evening time. Weiss jolted when she realized how long she'd been here at Blake's house.

Blake was still asleep beneath her, and Weiss nudged her gently.

"Blake…?" she whispered. "Blake, wake up! W-We fell asleep! Your parents might be home soon a-and I don't think they'd be okay with finding us like this if they were to come in!"

Weiss pushed herself up off the dark-haired girl and rolled onto the bed. She sat up and quickly started to adjust her sweater and hair, fretting about her appearance and what Blake's parents might think if they saw her looking like this.

. . .

Blake was a slightly annoyed at being woken up at first, grumbling under her breath as she tried to readjust herself and fall back asleep. It was only when Weiss continued to nudge her and speak that she finally opened her eyes and realized how long they had been asleep.

Sitting up next to Weiss, Blake drowsily grabbed her phone to check the time.

"Don't worry, Weiss. First of all, my parents are pretty cool, so they wouldn't freak out," Blake started, leaning over and wrapping her arms around Weiss. "And second of all, it's only 6:30. They left me a note saying they won't be home till at least 9:00." She dared to leave a small kiss on Weiss' cheek.

Standing up, she stretched herself out, working the sleep out of her joints before looking back to her.

"It's starting to get a bit late though, would you like some dinner?"

. . .

Weiss' panic was short-lived as Blake quelled her nerves. The hug helped a lot, and Weiss sighed in relief as she returned the contact, nuzzling her face into the side of Blake's neck, inhaling her scent like plums.

"Really? They won't mind? That's good… The last thing I'd want would be for you to get into trouble because of me."

The mention of food reminded Weiss how hungry she was. Aside from the tea Blake had made her previously, Weiss hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, and even then it hadn't been that much. She nodded slowly as she moved back a bit, pulling the blanket over her shoulders tighter to replace Blake's missing warmth.

"I'd love some dinner. I-I can help you, though! I don't want to make you do everything."

. . .

Blake hummed happily when Weiss nuzzled into the side of her neck, content to stay there if it wasn't for the rumbling in her stomach.

"I mean they would probably be a bit surprised to find me here with someone they don't know, but I doubt they would be angry. They trust me. And if you want to help with dinner you can, but you don't have to feel obligated. You're my guest after all, so I'm happy to cook for you." Reaching her hand out, she helped Weiss up from the bed. "Let's go downstairs and we'll see what's in the kitchen."

They started walking out of Blake's room and down the stairs. Blake made sure to keep her hand intertwined with Weiss'.

"Is there anything you like? Or don't like?"

As they entered the kitchen, Fang was sitting on the counter watching them enter.

. . .

Weiss smiled when Blake took her hand again, helping her to her feet. They headed down the stairs together, and Weiss kept the blanket over her shoulders, both because she'd gotten used to its weight and warmth by now, and because it had Blake's scent on it.

When they reached the kitchen, Weiss pondered for a moment. Her father had never cooked, so Weiss typically made her meals herself. More often than not, her supper consisted of a light salad and a slice of bread with butter, simply because it was easy to prepare.

But now, with more options available to her and with Blake happily offering, Weiss was feeling a little daring. She was tired of lettuce.

"Perhaps… do you have any pasta?"

Her father had told her once before how sickly and thin she was, but that wasn't why she'd made such a request. Weiss had seen many images of spaghetti and raviolis on her blog before, and she'd always been dying to find out what they tasted like. Now was as good a chance as any, and perhaps her _only_ chance.

. . .

Blake waited patiently for Weiss' answer, easily able to tell the girl was weighing the options in her head.

"I can guarantee we have pasta. I always make sure there's because I cook it so much."

Getting to work, she let go of Weiss' hand and started pulling out the things she would need to cook dinner. She pulled out a pot from one of the lower cabinets.

"Could you start running the hot water in the sink? It speeds up the cooking if the water is already hot before you start boiling it." As she grabbed the pasta out of a cabinet she had a sudden idea about what to make for dinner. "Hey, would you like some chicken with the pasta? It's a little spicy. but I can tone it down if you don't like spicy."

. . .

At Blake's request, Weiss instantly went to the sink and turned on the left nozzle to get the water running. She ran a hand beneath the flow of water for a few seconds before it started to turn hot. Weiss withdrew her fingers and wiped them dry on a small towel hanging on one of the cabinet's handles.

"Chicken?" she parroted. "With pasta? I've never considered that before, but it sounds amazing! And a bit of spicy is just fine." She'd never had much experience with spicy things, but if it was Blake's specialty, she was more than willing to try.

Weiss stood to the side as Blake worked, helping her out with whatever small tasks she was asked to handle. She watched in awe as Blake went about preparing the food, and it wasn't long before a wonderful scent reached Weiss' lungs. She couldn't stop herself from stepping up to wrap her arms loosely around Blake from behind.

This morning, Weiss' world had been cold and shattered. But now it was warm and full of love, full of so many things she never thought possible, and the pieces were slowly falling into place.

Weiss kissed Blake's cheek briefly before releasing her.

"Need help with anything else?"

. . .

Blake's smile got a little bigger when Weiss wanted to try the chicken; she was always happy to cook for new people.

"All right, then can you grab the big pan for me?"

They started making preparations together after that, gathering seasonings and toppings and everything else they'd need. They worked together, Blake asking Weiss to take care of small tasks while she made sure the chicken didn't burn or the pasta got stuck to the sides of the pot.

When there was only a few moments left for the food to cook Blake felt slender arms wrap around her waist as Weiss leaned against her.

"If you want to set the table I'll take care of everything else." Blake kissed her before indicating where the silverware was.

Grabbing a plate, Blake took the chicken off of the stove and placed it onto the plate, putting it aside for now. Next she drained the pasta, moving it to a serving bowl and grabbed the pan the chicken had cooked in. Carefully she poured the runoff into the pasta, and mixed it together thoroughly. Cutting up the chicken, she mixed it in with the pasta and brought it over to the table where Weiss was waiting.

"Dinner is served," she said happily, leaning over to kiss Weiss again before taking her seat.

. . .

Weiss was amazed at how skilled and efficient Blake was with the food. She sat down and eagerly awaited the results of their joint labor. When the food was placed in front of her, Weiss couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you!" she beamed. "It feels like I'm at a fancy restaurant, and I'm sure the food tastes just as exquisite."

She laid her napkin out over her lap and picked up her fork, twirling the pasta a bit to expel some of the heat. She sprinkled a bit of cheese on top of everything before observing how Blake started eating. Weiss mimicked her, getting a bit of pasta and some chicken onto her fork before dipping it into the sauce. After blowing on it a bit, she took her first bite.

"Mm..." she hummed instantly. Weiss chewed slowly to savor the taste - just perfectly spicy for her pallet. Once she'd swallowed, her eyes went to Blake's and she smiled once more. "It's scrumptious! You should go to culinary school, Blake!"

. . .

Blake blushed heavily at Weiss' compliment, both of them picking up their forks to start eating. Blake added some cheese to her serving before mixing it together and starting to eat.

She could see that Weiss' face had lit up after having a few bites. Blake felt giddy inside since it was something she had prepared.

"Well... I don't know if it's _that_ good," Blake stammered, feeling her face flush again. "It's just something I made through experimentation. My parents aren't home a lot to cook dinner so I usually end up making my own, and I like to try new things." She fell silent after a moment. Taking another bite of her pasta, she looked back at Weiss tentatively. "I'm glad you like it though. I always liked watching other people try my cooking."

. . .

Weiss wore a smile as Blake spoke, her face blushing slightly pink. Weiss took a bit of chicken from her plate and fed it to the cat purring and brushing against her legs.

"I can't remember the last time I went out to eat… But I can say for _certain_ that whatever I had at the time wasn't _half_ as good as this," she declared, taking another bite. "There's just something about it being homemade, you know? Everything tastes fresher, and it's even better when you know the person who cooked it put a bit of love into it as well."

She stopped suddenly, feeling a bit awkward from speaking so much. She felt her own blush coming on and looked down at her plate, embarrassed. "Sorry I'm rambling quite a bit. I don't… think I've ever spoken this much at once in all my life," she admitted. "I guess… it just goes to show how comfortable I am around you."

. . .

Blake noted the pink coloring come to Weiss' pale cheeks briefly before she bent down to feed Fang some of the chicken.

"No it's all right," Blake assured her. "You aren't rambling. I'm happy you're comfortable around me. I'm comfortable around you too…I… I really like you Weiss."

. . .

"Yes…" Weiss smiled softly. "I really like you, too. I guess that would explain before…" She trailed off, her mind bringing her back to several hours prior, of the kisses they'd shared on the bed. Weiss realized her blush had deepened, and she quickly shook her head and continued eating.

The rest of the meal passed by in silence, save for a few more compliments from Weiss. By the end of it, she had nearly cleaned her plate, which was a bit of a surprise for her. "Wow… Normally, I can't eat so much, but _this_ … this was just so good. The best meal I've ever had, I'm sure. Thank you, Blake."

Slowly, she stood and brought her plate over to the sink and turned on the water to start cleaning it off. Weiss picked off the last few shreds of chicken and fed them to Fang before looking up to Blake. "Let me wash your plate for you at the _very_ least."

. . .

"You don't have to, but thank you." Blake handed Weiss her plate as the smaller girl started toward the sink to clean the dishes. Blake smiled warmly as she watched her, heart still soaring in delight that she'd done well making her first ever dinner for her first ever date.

Blake checked the time to see only an hour at passed, and there was still plenty of time before her parents returned home. Stepping behind Weiss, Blake wrapped her arms the white-haired girl's waist, resting her head on top of Weiss' shoulder.

"You know... I'm really glad you decided to come over."

. . .

Weiss finished washing the dishes and turned off the water, putting the plates and utensils aside on the counter. She dried her hands on a small towel before holding onto Blake's hands where they rested, right over her stomach.

"I'm glad I came over, too," she murmured, closing her eyes as she leaned back against Blake's chest. "I'm glad _you_ came all the way to my house this morning. I'm glad you sent me all of those messages online. I'm glad you found me that one day in the bathroom at school. I'm so thankful for everything you've done for me, Blake."

She reopened her eyes and looked down, slowly rolling up the sleeves of her sweater to reveal the bandages on her right forearm. There was a faint bit of redness seeping into them, but she imagined the blood had dried. She shivered, squeezing Blake's arms tighter around her waist to keep herself secure and standing.

Then, Weiss lifted Blake's hands up a little, holding them to the center of her chest. She kissed Blake's knuckles and then the backs of her hands, over the warm skin before holding the girl's palms over her racing heart for a long moment.

"Can you feel it, Blake?" she murmured. "My heart is only beating right now… because of you. It's yours and yours alone."

. . .

Blake closed her eyes, content to stand there as Weiss covered Blake's hands with her own. She could feel the smaller girl lean back against her, could feel her murmured words vibrate through Weiss' body. With everything Weiss said Blake smiled, every one of the memories replaying through her head.

She felt Weiss shake a little bit before squeezing Blake's hands tighter against her waist. Blake let Weiss move her arms, until they'd settled a the center of Weiss' chest.

Blake could faintly feel the beat of Weiss' heart through the clothing. Blake nuzzled into the side of her neck and sighed.

"I feel it, Weiss. I'm happy I can feel it, because it means you're here with me right now." Blake turned Weiss around in her embrace before holding the girl closer. "I swear that I'll do my best make sure you're safe and happy."

Leaning down she kissed Weiss again, more tenderly and fully than before.

. . .

She made a small, content sound as Blake turned her around again, and Weiss pressed close. Closing her eyes, she sighed, pressing her ear to Blake's collar, hearing the air pass through her lungs. When she focused, she could hear the steady beat of her heart as well, slow and full.

It was beautiful. And it was all hers.

"I'm so… so glad to be _alive_ …" she mumbled. "Until today… I didn't have much of a reason, aside from talking to you. You're my reason to _live_ now, Blake. I need you…"

She didn't want to think about tomorrow, about having to go back home, back to the house that had very nearly killed her. She wanted to stay here…

And she could, for a while longer. Judging by the small clock on the wall behind Blake, Weiss assumed there were still a few hours left they had to be alone until the other girl's parents came home.

"I think I should at least meet your parents," she murmured. "But what can we do until then?"

. . .

Blake hummed to herself, petting her hands gently through the long white hair, loving the sensation of the soft silken strands.

"Well, they won't be home for a few hours, but when they get here I'll introduce you. Until then we can... go back up to my room, o-or we can go into the living room and watch a movie. If you'd like..."

She wasn't sure what to do next. She'd never done this before, after all.

. . .

Weiss perked up instantly at the options, particularly the latter one.

"Oh! A movie sounds wonderful! I haven't watched one in so long!" She squeezed Blake one last time before stepping back, smiling softly, now keeping hold of the girl's hands. "I haven't watched a movie in years. And I haven't watched one _with_ someone else in even longer."

She started walking toward the living room, shrugging her shoulders a bit to keep the borrowed blanket in place on her back as she led Blake toward the couch.

"What kind of movies do you have? I'm fine with anything… except maybe horror or gore."

She'd seen enough blood today.

. . .

"Then let's go watch a movie," Blake agreed. She held Weiss' hand and started pulling her towards the living room. "Oh, I have a really good Sci-Fi movie we can watch," she said as Weiss sat down on the couch.

Blake left her there for the moment and opened the cabinet beneath the TV. She pulled out the DVD and putting it in the DVD player. She then turned the lights off so the TV was the only source of light in the room. With everything done, she sat next to Weiss.

"This is one of my favorites. It's about a war between witches and fairies. It's based off one of my favorite book series."

. . .

"Oh, that sounds interesting. I don't think I've heard of a movie like that. I don't get to see very many, so I know I miss the majority of them." She made room for Blake to sit down beside her, and Weiss cuddled up into her side as the movie began to play.

Within just the first few minutes of watching, Weiss was captivated by the plot and storyline.

"I've certainly never heard of this before. It's really good so far…" Her voice trailed off due to her investment in the film, and she leaned her head on Blake's shoulder, holding the other girl's arm to her chest lightly to seek her warmth.

. . .

Blake hardly paid any attention to the movie once she realized Weiss was huddled up next to her, hugging her arm and keeping her warm.

Her mind couldn't focus on anything that was happening because she just kept looking down at Weiss, admiring the way her eyes would shine and sparkle with interest.

It was then she remembered an upcoming scene of war that was a little graphic. Blake felt a pang of worry in her chest and quickly nudged Weiss.

"Hey, Weiss? The movie gets a little violent later. Is that all right, or should I put on something else?"

She felt a little guilty already for not having thought it through properly. The last thing she wanted was to shock Weiss with something she wasn't comfortable seeing. Blake had never had to consider someone else's feelings like this before, and it scared her a little bit.

. . .

Weiss really was getting invested in the film, more so than she ever thought she would. She paid attention to the characters and even silently predicted a few things that were going to happen and was content to discover she'd been correct.

So the mention of violence made her heart sink a little.

"Well… You seem to really like this movie, and I'm getting a bit into it as well," she murmured. "It'd be a shame to have to stop it now. So… i-it's okay. Just… maybe when those parts happen, warn me beforehand?" she requested.

She shifted closer to Blake, prepared to tuck her face into the other girl's shirt if need be.

. . .

Rather than scared now, Blake was a little mad at herself for forgetting about the violence in the movie, especially after the day Weiss had gone through. She could see the new information upset Weiss, but knew she was trying to tough it out for Blake's own enjoyment.

"I'm sorry. I should've thought this through better." She pulled Weiss closer and placed a soft kiss on her head. "I'll fast-forward and warn you."

When things got a bit messy, Blake warned her beforehand as promised and fast-forwarded a bit, and explained what was happening instead.

It was toward the end of the movie when Blake realized Weiss' grip on her stomach had slackened, and by the time the credits were rolling Weiss had fallen asleep. Blake hugged her close and didn't let go for a long time.

"You had a long day..."

She kissed Weiss' cheek, then pulled her phone out she checked the time. Her parents would be home in about an hour.

But she could let Weiss sleep a little longer.

. . .

It felt so easy to fall asleep like this. Years of stress and borderline mental and emotional abuse had made sleep an uncommon thing for Weiss, and even more rare was to find a deep, comfortable slumber. Before in Blake's room, she'd almost achieved that, and now she was fairly close, too.

But she didn't reach it. Not just yet.

When she woke a while later, she was drowsy, rested but still tired. She was curled up in Blake's lap, clinging loosely to her stomach. Weiss made a small, tired sound, but was far too warm and cozy to sit up right away, the blanket draped over her shoulders and side. She peeked up past her bangs to seek Blake's eyes.

"Mm… Blake…" she mumbled. "A-Are your parents home? Should I get up?"

. . .

Blake contented herself by reading an article on her phone for a while. As she did so, she ran her hand up and down Weiss' back slowly.

About a half hour before her parents would get home, Blake felt Weiss start to stir, moving enough to look up at Blake through her hair. Blake smiled down at her.

"No, they aren't home. They will be in about thirty minutes if you want to get up now. Whatever you're comfortable with."

. . .

"Ah, maybe I should…" She could imagine she looked pretty disheveled right about now, especially after the long day she'd endured.

But it was hard to move when she was so comfortable like this. So she remained that way for a moment longer, burying her face into Blake's stomach and tightening her hug. She was tired, but she wanted to be awake and attentive for when she met Blake's parents.

Therefore, she forced herself up into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes, stretching her arms a little bit.

"Blake? Would it… be all right if I showered here? I don't mean to impose more than I already have, but… I feel so…"

 _filthy…_

She couldn't say it out loud, but a guilty glance to her hidden wrist was enough to convey her meaning.

. . .

Blake's eyes flashed with emotion as she noticed Weiss glance at her bandaged arms. She gently bumped her head against Weiss'.

"That's fine with me. Let me show you where the bathroom is and grab you a towel."

Blake stood and stretched, holding her hand out for Weiss and helping the sleepy girl stand she led her upstairs. Going down the hall in the opposite direction as Blake's room took them to the bathroom. Blake let go of Weiss' hand so the other girl could go in while Blake grabbed a towel from the cabinet.

"Right knob is cold and the left knob is hot. There's shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in there, and here's a towel. Take your time."

. . .

"Thank you, Blake." Weiss nodded a little as she committed the information to memory. She accepted the towel just before Blake left the room and closed the door behind her.

Weiss stood there for a moment in silence, inhaling a few times as she got her bearings back. The long day was catching up to her, and she was looking forward to greeting Blake's parents and then simply going to bed.

She made quick work of removing her clothes, though she kept her arm bandaged and started running the water. She shampooed her hair and rinsed it out before conditioning it, all the while rubbing body soap all over her skin, particularly her arms. It was the best way to scrub off the awful, clammy feeling that had clung to her for so long in her life of stress.

When she finished, she slipped back into her clothes and padded her hair dry as best she could before exiting the bathroom and making her way back toward the living room.

. . .

Not knowing how long Weiss would take with her shower, Blake decided to go back down stairs. Turning the light on in the living room, Blake straightened up the couch a little bit before turning the movie off and just putting some television show on. She pulled out her phone and divided her attention between that and the TV as she waited for Weiss.

. . .

She padded down the stairs and walked quietly back into the living room, finding Blake sitting there in the lamplight. It was already dark outside, and the soft glow of the lights indoors were making Weiss drowsier than ever.

Slowly, she walked over to the couch and sat beside Blake. "Thank you for letting me use the shower. It was really nice." She padded the towel through her hair once more before draping it around her shoulders. Weiss leaned sideways, slumping into Blake's side as she hugged the other girl's arm.

"I'm so lucky," she said again. "So lucky that you found me when you did." She looked up and moved a little closer so she may kiss Blake's cheek, then squeezed her tightly.

. . .

Blake could hear Weiss walking behind her, but didn't fully notice the girl till she sat down on the couch next to her.

"It's no problem. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Blake put her phone down so she could give Weiss her full attention. Weiss' arms wrapped around her own as the white-haired girl rested her head on Blake's shoulder.

"We're both lucky. I'm lucky that I found you when I did, and at all. I don't know what I would've done if you had…" Blake stopped herself before she finished her thought. "I'm just happy to have you here right now, Weiss." She finished before closing the gap and kissing Weiss again.

. . .

She listened quietly, solemnly, bowing her head at Blake's words. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I could've been… _gone_ today. By now, my father and sister would have-" She didn't want to think about it. She shook her head and squeezed Blake again. "You saved us _all_ , Blake."

The kiss to her lips said so much, telling Weiss how much she was cared for and loved. She kissed back tenderly, her hands cupping Blake's cheeks. Her pulse was fluttering beneath the bandages, and it was only because of Blake.

If she had her way, they never would have parted from that kiss, but sounds from outside caused Weiss to tense up and go stiff before pulling away. "I think your parents are home. H-How do I look? B-Blake what should I do? What should I tell them?" she fretted.

. . .

Blake smiled into the kiss as Weiss kissed her back, slender hands reaching up to cup her cheeks. Blake's arms wrapped around Weiss, pulling the other girl closer to her as they continued their embrace. She could feel Weiss' heartbeat again.

To her disappointment though, the sound outside made Weiss tense up and pull away. Checking her phone, Blake saw that it was 9:45, meaning it was definitely her parents getting home from work.

It was clear Weiss was visibly worried at the prospect of meeting Blake's them.

"Calm down, Weiss. It'll be fine. And you look great." Blake kissed her again for reassurance as the sounds of footsteps came up the sidewalk. "Just be yourself, and they'll love you. I know it worked on me."

Blake dipped down to kiss her one last time before she heard keys at the front door.

. . .

Weiss enjoyed the kiss, then stood up and straightened her posture, clinging onto Blake's arm for a second before realizing that might not've been the best thing to do. She didn't want Blake's parents walking into their house to find a random girl they'd never seen before holding onto their daughter as though they were dating.

 _But… aren't we? B-But we aren't!_ Weiss fretted. _I don't know what we are!_

She didn't have enough time to think before the doors opened, and a couple walked in through the door. Blake's mother was only about as tall as Blake herself was, with short hair and a mature fashion sense. Her father was probably twice her size, and twice as broad.

"Blake, dear!" her mother sang. "We're home! Did you have dinner?"

Their eyes went to Blake, but their smiles faded a bit as they looked to Weiss, puzzled. Her father quirked an eyebrow.

"Who's your friend?" he asked in a deep, gruff voice.

Weiss threw herself forward into a formal bow, her wet hair flying over her shoulder.

"G-Good evening!" she gasped. "I-I know we've never met before, but I'm a friend of Blake's and she invited me to stay the night and I know I should have at least met you first! I'm sorry if this is incredibly rude of me, but I decided to take Blake up on her offer and stay the night! Blake really helped me out a lot today and I just-"

She cut off, realizing she was babbling and that Blake's parents were only giving her even more confused looks. She looked to Blake for help.

. . .

Blake could see Weiss was struggling as she stopped speaking and looked up at her worriedly. Stepping forward, Blake tapped Weiss' back, silently telling the girl to stop bowing.

"Mom, Dad, this is Weiss. She's spending the night. I hope that's all right with you. I know I should have told you first, but it was sort of a last-minute thing."

Blake realized that she hadn't taken her hand away from Weiss' back. She carefully pulled it back to her side so it wouldn't seem too intimate of an action.

. . .

She felt the light pat on her back and slowly straightened up again, standing stiffly beside Blake as she looked nervously to the girl's parents. But she soon realized there was nothing to be worried about. The man and woman were smiling and nodding to the two girls.

"That's fine," Blake's father said. "I'm glad you have a friend you can invite over, Blake. You deserve to take a break and have some fun every now and again." He reached his hand out. "The name's Ghira. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Weiss hastily accepted it and then did the same for Blake's mother, who was a little more enthusiastic.

"And I'm Kali. If you ever need anything at all dear, just give us a ring!"

"Th-Thank you," she said politely. "It's nice to meet you both. Blake has taken such good care of me. Thank you for letting me stay."

She was now significantly less worried about all of this. Her small smile was genuine now, though as soon as her hand was free again, she stood back behind Blake, still a bit nervous.

. . .

Blake breathed a little sigh of relief when her parents were fine with Weiss sleeping over, and she could tell the white-haired girl felt the same.

She thought it was really cute how nervous Weiss was. But she thought it was even cuter when Weiss stepped back to hide behind her.

"We were actually getting ready to go upstairs. both of us are pretty tired," Blake informed her parents. They had already started to settle back into their routine, nodding in acknowledgment as they went to the kitchen together.

"Of course," her mother said. "Let us know if you need anything!"

"Sure thing, Mom. Come on, Weiss let's go upstairs." Blake took Weiss' hand in hers and started to lead her back upstairs.

. . .

She was relieved to say the very least when Blake offered to take her back upstairs. Weiss nodded and followed Blake up the stairs and to her room, going a little slowly now due to her sheer fatigue.

They reached Blake's room for the second time that evening, and closed the door behind them. Weiss let out a small yawn, keeping hold of the other girl's hand. "I'm… so tired. But my hair's still wet. I don't want to sleep with it like this," she said.

She took the towel from her shoulders and ruffled it through her hair, but only served to make it more frazzled and unkempt. Sheepishly, she glanced up at Blake. "Would you mind helping me with this a bit?" she requested, sitting down on Blake's bed.

. . .

Blake closed the door behind them. By the time they got to the bed, Weiss was already yawning a little. Blake smiled as Weiss tried to dry her damp hair and only succeeded in making her it unkempt.

"Sure, let me grab my brush." Blake walked over to her desk and picked up the hairbrush there. Sitting down behind her friend, Blake pulled her close. "All right hand me the towel. I've got this, so you just relax."

. . .

Weiss drew her legs up onto the bed and curled them beneath her. Her posture was a little stiff as she waited for Blake to get situated with everything. Her heart was starting to thump again for some reason, and Weiss made sure not to turn look at Blake for fear of getting even more flustered.

She didn't know why she was reacting this way - they'd already _kissed_ , she reminded herself. But for whatever reason she was still tense.

When Blake sat down behind her, Weiss handed her the towel and released another yawn. "Thank you for doing this," she murmured softly.

. . .

Blake waited until she had the towel, setting it down on her lap. She could see that Weiss had stiffened up a little bit. When Blake placed her hand on her back, she could faintly feel Weiss' heart drumming quickly. Blake patted her shoulder softly.

"Hey, you can relax. I'm just brushing your hair. And besides I've... kind of already kissed you." Blake blushed at her own comment.

She brought the brush up and starting to run it through Weiss' long white hair. Even though she had just showered, Weiss' hair had very few tangles, and the brush moved through it easily. She held the towel gently against Weiss' hair and started padding it down before removing it and resuming her brushing technique.

"Your hair is so smooth, Weiss. It's really pretty." Blake gently rubbed Weiss' back with her free hand as she continued, hoping to help put her at ease.

. . .

Blake's hand pressed to her back, and Weiss made a small, nervous sound. But Blake reminded her of what she already knew - the fact that they'd kissed and already established a more-than-friends relationship.

As soon as she felt the hair brush gently pulling through her tresses, Weiss sighed, relaxing a bit. It felt heavenly, to have Blake's hands warmly running down her back and through her hair, and the needles of the brush tickling lightly against her shoulders. With a sigh, her posture gradually began to slump, her eyelids fluttering closed.

As the moments went on, content little sounds kept slipping past her lips. She could feel her hair losing its dampness, and before very much longer, it was almost entirely dry. Blake had taken care of the few knots and also padded it dry for her, but her shirt was still a bit wet from it. Weiss shivered, slowly leaning back into Blake's chest, resting against her.

"Th-Thank you," she murmured, feeling her heartbeat begin to slow. "I really appreciate it, Blake."

. . .

Blake continued to rub Weiss' back, having finished brushing the girl's hair by this point. Weiss had started to make little noises of contentment once she was comfortable, sounds that made Blake blush.

 _She's so cute..._

Weiss leaned back against her chest, resting her head against Blake's collar. Blake could feel her breathing calming down along with her pulse.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Blake set the brush and towel aside. She wrapped her arms around Weiss' waist, nuzzling her face into the other girl's drying hair. Leaning back, she pulled Weiss on top of her.

"Don't worry, Weiss. My parents rarely come into my room. They'll most likely stay away tonight since I have a friend over."

. . .

She felt herself being pulled slowly back, Blake's arms secure around her stomach to keep her in place. The dark-haired girl laid on her back softly, and with care, Weiss turned herself over so they were face-to-face, their stomachs pressed together.

Her eyes went to the door a few times until Blake reassured her. Releasing a sigh, Weiss relaxed fully against her.

"Okay… that's good, then." She could definitely rest a bit more easily now in knowing they wouldn't be disturbed.

Looking down now, her hair slipped over her shoulders, and she met Blake's eyes.

Weiss didn't even think when she leaned down to gently kiss the girl's cheek, then nuzzled softly into the side of her neck to hide her blush. She hugged Blake's sides, taking in a deep breath before letting it out, feeling Blake breathe in time with her. She wanted to speak and be quiet at the same time, but had to settle for the latter.

. . .

Blake could feel Weiss relax on top of her. Delicate arms wrapped around Blake's sides, squeezing her into a gentle hug.

She could feel Weiss breathing on top of her, until she was breathing in time with Blake.

They remained quiet like that for several minutes, neither one speaking as they held each other. When Blake did finally break the silence, it was to lighten the mood a bit further.

"So Weiss... do I make a comfortable bed?"

. . .

She could feel herself slipping off into slumber, her mind finally tiptoeing out of reality and into a world of dreams. It would've been an easy feat to do as much, considering how warm, soft, and calming everything was now, Blake's familiar scent filling her lungs to capacity.

But the playful voice had Weiss blinking her eyes back open quickly.

"Mm… Sorry…" she mumbled. "You're very comfortable, Blake. But I can get off…" Slowly, she slipped off of Blake's chest, instead curling up into her side. Weiss pulled the blankets up over the two of them, encompassing them in even more warmth.

"This is nice, too…" she mumbled, her eyelids falling shut again. "Anything's nice if you're there with me..."

. . .

Blake could tell that Weiss was more than ready to fall asleep now. Blake shifted with her to get situated beneath the covers, making sure to pull more of them up over Weiss, who she knew now was prone to the cold.

"I'm glad you're comfortable, Weiss. I'm glad you're here with me."

She rolled onto her side to face Weiss, wrapping her arms around the girl and pulling her closer yet again.

When Blake finally fell asleep next to Weiss she couldn't remember a single time she'd been happier when going to bed.

And she knew it was the same for Weiss.

* * *

 **A/N: While editing this I realized that at the time we wrote it, we didn't even know Kali and Ghira's names or personalities, so I had to add that information in. Gosh, this is old...**

 **Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A bit more domestic stuff, anyone?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 9.

Sleep came easier that night than it ever had before. All of the nights that had broken her slumber with nightmares and anxieties seemed so far behind now. Weiss slept deeply and fully, for the first time she could ever remember.

When she woke, she felt like a new person, like her soul had been refurbished.

And in a way, perhaps it had been.

Blake was still asleep beside her, arms wrapped loosely around Weiss. The white-haired girl was content to rest a bit longer, to relish this energized feeling that coursed through her now.

She reached her bandaged arm up to the sleeping girl's face, caressing her cheek.

"Thank you…" she whispered. Weiss pulled herself closer to Blake's chest and relaxed against her steady breaths. She tucked her head beneath Blake's chin, her ear catching the faint motion of her pulse.

Weiss listened for a while, but soon changed her position a bit, wanting Blake to wake up to a similar comfort. So she pulled Blake's head to her collar and held her there warmly, kissing her hair softly all the while.

. . .

Blake slept peacefully that night, blanketed in a sense of comfort as she held Weiss close to her in her slumber. When she woke, it was slowly and with a wish to return to her comfortable sleep.

She could vaguely feel movement on the bed next to her, and in her sleepy state she thought it was Fang at first. As she was about to open her eyes, she remembered the previous night and Weiss sleeping next to her. Blake could hear the steady sound of Weiss' heart beating. Soon she could feel Weiss gently kissing her hair.

Without thinking, Blake started to hum happily as she tightened her embrace on Weiss, pulling herself closer against the white-haired girl's chest.

. . .

She'd been happily trailing kisses all over Blake's forehead when she felt the arms around her waist tighten. She chuckled lightly when Blake nuzzled closer to her, and the vibrations of a hum reached Weiss' chest, tickling. She giggled again, nuzzling blissfully into Blake's hair.

"Good morning," she murmured. "I hope you slept well. I know I did." She hugged Blake's shoulders fully, tangling their legs together beneath the blankets.

But it was then when the trepidation came creeping back into her mind. This wouldn't last much longer - this happiness. She'd have to go back home very soon and face her father. Weiss wasn't sure what she should do, having to go back into that house and enter that kitchen where the wood was heavy with her own blood.

She sighed, smile fading and arms shaking now as she clung tighter to Blake. Her heart had started to pound uncomfortably, and she closed her eyes.

"I don't… want to go back home…"

. . .

Blake could feel Weiss' breath trembling as her grip tightened. Weiss' voice was small and worried.

"Hey, it's all right. I know where you live now, so I can come if you ever need me too. We can see each other during school now, and you can come over here anytime you want. I'll do my best to help. After all... you are my girlfriend." As she said the last word, Blake felt her heart flutter. But the smile that rose to her lips came so quickly she almost felt embarrassed.

. . .

Blake's words served to calm her down a bit now. She was right; when winter break was over and they went back to school, they knew they would be able to find one another now. They could carry on their relationship in secret if they had to.

The word "girlfriend" had her blushing anew as well. But it wasn't wrong.

"Yeah…" she mumbled. "Yes, you're right. When we go back to school, we'll be able to see each other a lot more. But before then… we still have almost two weeks left of winter break. Do you think… we could keep seeing each other like this? Even if it's not staying at each other's houses, we could meet up in the park or something like that. I just… I know I'll need to keep seeing you if I want to stay sane."

. . .

Blake could tell her words had a calming effect on Weiss, because the girl's shoulders lost some of their tension. She could also see the blush that colored Weiss' face at the word 'girlfriend', and that only made Blake even giddier.

"Of course we can keep seeing each other over break. Whenever you want you can come over to my house, and when you can't there is a park nearby we can meet at. If it's too cold for you we can find somewhere else to meet."

Nuzzling against Weiss' cheek, Blake teased the other girl a little bit. "I'm glad to hear that you want to keep seeing me. After last night I wasn't sure if you liked me."

. . .

"What?" Weiss piped up. "Why would you ever think that, you dummy?" Weiss playfully shoved Blake down onto the bed and crawled over her to pin her. With a pout, her eyes sparked as she formed an idea. "I'm going to have to punish you, missy."

Within seconds, she'd moved down to Blake's stomach and rolled up her shirt. Pressing her lips to Blake's skin, Weiss began to give her raspberries, tickling her relentlessly.

"How do you like _that?_ " she asked, smirking. Weiss went back down to blow more kisses onto Blake's stomach, holding her down so she wouldn't be pushed off.

. . .

Blake smiled when Weiss playfully pushed her onto the bed and crawled over her. She'd been expecting a kiss or two-

But before Blake could say anything, Weiss' mouth connected with her stomach instead of her lips, and she started to blow against Blake's skin. The sensation had Blake struggling to hold back laughter, her face turning red as the other girl continued.

"Is... that all you've got?" Blake tried bucking her hips to get the other girl off of her, but Weiss was positioned securely and wasn't moving.

. . .

"Ha!" Weiss lifted her head and looked smugly down at her. "You think you can best me, Blake Belladonna? I'd love to see you try!" She leaned a bit more of her weight onto the girl and dipped her head once more to blow over her bellybutton.

She wrapped her arms beneath Blake's back and around her hips to keep her locked in place as Weiss continued her assault. Blake was pushing at her shoulders, but she refused to give in so easily. Weiss nuzzled the girl's stomach and blew several more times, tickling her sides with her fingernails just to hear Blake laugh some more.

At last, when she was finished, Weiss stopped blowing air on Blake's stomach and instead started to kiss it, trailing her lips over the smooth skin in apology. She then pulled Blake's shirt back down and moved up over her, lying down on top of her as she caught her breath. Weiss rested her head on Blake's chest and giggled, squeezing her again.

"Your heart's beating so fast already!" she hummed. "I didn't know it was so easy to get you this flustered."

. . .

Blake couldn't hold back the laughter under Weiss' continued assault and eventually she started laughing. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much. She'd certainly never been tickled before.

It was a little confusing, but overall just joyful.

Finally it stopped, and Weiss finished her attack, gently kissing Blake's stomach as an apology. She pulled Blake's shirt down and laid on top of Blake as she caught her breath.

"You... You're lucky I'm too tired to... give you payback..."

. . .

She giggled against Blake's collar, nuzzling into the crook of her neck and kissing her again and again until she'd found her lips. Weiss laid on top of her for a moment, rising and falling in time with Blake's chest as she panted for breath.

Weiss listened to the thumping beneath her ear, waiting for it to slow down a bit more before she instigated things. She propped herself up onto her elbows, eyes flicking downward as she hovered above Blake. Weiss smirked.

"Why _don't_ you, then?" she prompted. "Show me what you've got, Belladonna."

. . .

Blake hummed at the challenge and gave Weiss a gentle shove.

"I like to be original with my revenge, Miss Schnee. Don't worry though, I'll get back at you. Variety is the spice of life after all."

. . .

Weiss willingly got off of Blake and let her up, though her cheeks were puffed out slightly. But her eyes were curious; Blake's words of holding off on her "revenge" were more than just a silly game - they were a promise to see Weiss again before long.

It made her feel a lot better about having to go home today.

"All right then," Weiss said as she stood from the bed, stretching her arms and legs a bit to chase away the numbness brought on by sleep. "I'll be ready for you, Blake," she winked.

She took Blake's hands and helped her up as well before straining up to kiss her cheek.

. . .

Blake debated attacking Weiss right now when she least expected it, but the soft kiss to her cheek made her reconsider. For now.

"I don't think you'll be ready, Weiss," Blake replied. "Let's get some breakfast, what do you want? I'll cook for you."

. . .

Weiss considered the question as the two of them headed out of the room and downstairs. The house was quiet, and she assumed Blake's parents were still asleep. The two girls soon reached the kitchen and Weiss offered her suggested.

"How about an omelette? We can share it," she said. "I'll help you cook, too." She went to the refrigerator, got a few eggs, and brought them over to the counter. "I usually make them for myself at home. But I'm curious to see how you make them. Your cooking is so much better than mine."

. . .

"Sure thing. I can make an omelette, and we have plenty of eggs." Blake blushed when Weiss complimented her cooking again and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Thank you, Weiss. I'm glad you like my cooking so much. To be honest... I'd love to do it more often if it was for you."

She turned away quickly before her face could turn too pink again.

The first thing Blake started doing was cracking the eggs into a bowl and throwing the empty shells into the sink. She added some spices and seasonings to the eggs before mixing it up.

"All right, ready to start cooking. Can you hand me a pan, Weiss?"

. . .

"Of course!" Weiss eagerly handed Blake the nearest clean pan.

She watched Blake excitedly as she prepared their breakfast, constantly peering over her shoulder from afar as to not pressure her or make her uncomfortable. She was curious as to how Blake made her omelets as opposed to how Weiss herself made them.

She did, however, end up missing a few moments of the process in order to pet the cat who had wandered in. Weiss sat on the floor and played with him for a time when Blake didn't require her assistance.

When at last Blake was finished, Weiss stood and washed her hands to prepare helping Blake carry the food to the table.

. . .

Blake cooked the omelettes like she normally did, aware that Weiss was watching her in the background as she cooked. She added some extra salt and a few other seasonings as she cooked.

She had to admire Weiss playing with Fang. At one point she got lost watching Weiss that she nearly forgot to watch the pan. But even so, Blake finished cooking before long.

"All right. Breakfast is ready, Weiss. Here's your plate." Blake cheerfully handed her one plate. "I hope you enjoy it."

. . .

Weiss accepted her plate with a wide grin.

"Thank you, Blake! I can't wait to taste it!"

She scurried to the table and pulled out her chair, waiting for Blake to sit down across from her. Picking up her utensils, Weiss unfolded her napkin and placed it over her lap before cutting into her warm omelette. Just the scent of it alone was making her stomach growl.

She popped a piece of it into her mouth, savoring the initial, eggy flavor.

But within seconds, her tongue and the roof of her mouth started to tingle, and Weiss' eyes opened wide.

"Ah!" she squeaked. "W-Why is it so spicy?! Blake, what did you put in this?!"

. . .

Blake's smile turned a little mischievous as she watched Weiss eat the first bite, then turn red.

"Oh you know, the usual stuff I put in an omelette: salt, pepper, a little garlic salt, minced onions, and oregano." Blake counted the ingredients off on her fingers. And the entire time she was completely aware of the building heat in Weiss' mouth.

"Oh yeah, and when you were playing with Fang I added cayenne pepper powder to your portion. Like I said Weiss, variety is the _spice_ of life."

She grinned triumphantly before getting up to go to the fridge. She poured a glass of milk and handed it to her girlfriend.

"That will help get rid of the heat."

. . .

Weiss listened with a gaping mouth assaulted by intense waves and prickles of heat as Blake casually explained herself. Weiss couldn't believe it.

"W-Why you- All this j-just because I tickled you?" she shrieked.

Without another word, she grabbed the glass of milk from Blake and chugged it down, so desperate to fend off the boiling heat on the roof of her mouth that she ended up spilling milk on her chin and it trickled down her neck to her collar. Weiss squeezed her eyes shut and shuddered, panting as the searing heat remained for a moment, then gradually began to die down.

When she could finally reopen her eyes, there were tears in them, and she looked to Blake with feigned hurt in her eyes.

"Guess I'm never tickling _you_ again…" she mumbled.

. . .

"Like I said, I prefer to be _original_ with my payback, and this seemed like a golden opportunity." Blake chided. "Next time you'll be ready and bring your A-game."

Blake stayed standing beside Weiss, eyeing the spilled milk as another mischievous idea formed in her head.

"Looks like you spilled a bit. Let me help you clean that up…"

Leaning down, Blake slowly licked the milk off of Weiss neck, starting low and working her way up closer to Weiss' lips.

. . .

She had half a mind to go off on her teasing girlfriend, and had Weiss been able to find the breath for it, she would have scolded her for several minutes consistently.

But instead, she found herself freezing in her seat, clamping her jaws shut on whatever she'd been about to say, her mind going instantly blank as Blake drew nearer and nearer to her, closing the distance between them until she was only a breath away. Weiss was still as a rabbit being observed by a fox as she felt Blake's tongue flick out on the side of her neck, slowly lapping at the milk Weiss had spilt all over herself.

She didn't even breathe, just closed her eyes and blushed red, heart pounding quickly, pulse jumping in her neck just beneath Blake's playful tongue. She could tell Blake was just teasing her now, literally _milking_ this for all it was worth.

"You… meanie…" Weiss said weakly.

. . .

Blake smiled as she felt Weiss stiffen. She was enjoying messing with her girlfriend. Maybe a little too much.

When she finally stopped licking Weiss' neck, she was only a few inches from her face.

"Aw, you don't mean that," Blake feigned shock before leaning in for a kiss.

. . .

Weiss stuck her tongue out at Blake just before the dark-haired girl moved in closer and pecked her lips. Weiss pouted and puffed her cheeks out to silently demonstrate she was still miffed, but she accepted the kiss nonetheless.

There was a faint taste of breakfast between them, and it made Weiss remember she still hadn't gotten a true taste of Blake's omelette. When they pulled away, she grabbed a napkin and pulled it to her lips.

"All right, you've had your fun. Did you make some food that _wasn't_ payback?" she wondered.

. . .

Blake reached past Weiss and grabbed the plate of pepper-spiked eggs to dispose of it.

"Of course I did. I'm not _that_ cruel, and I still like seeing you enjoy my cooking." She retreated back to the pan on the stove and dished out another portion for Weiss. "Here you go. I promise this one is safe, but if you don't trust me I'll take the first bite to show you it's fine."

. . .

"No, I trust you. I like to think you aren't _that_ evil." Weiss accepted the plate of new omelette, which was still warm and looked even more delectable than the previous plate had. She sat back down and cut into the food, blowing on it before popping a bit into her mouth.

The sensations that flooded over her mouth now were immensely more pleasant than the first thing she'd eaten that morning. Weiss hummed in delight as the flavors danced around her tongue and the roof of her mouth. She was sure to savor the taste before swallowing, now smiling once more.

"It's delectable," she complimented. " _Immensely_ better without the pepper. Even if you've got a mischievous side, you're still the best cook ever."

. . .

She admired the blissful look on Weiss' face this time as she enjoyed the actual omelette. And though the pranked dish had been amusing, Blake preferred this above all else.

"I don't know about best cook ever, but I try my best." Blake took a bite of her own omelette, chewing for a moment. "And we all have a mischievous side. I'm just craftier with my payback.

. . .

"Mm…" Weiss huffed. "One day I'll best you yet."

They continued eating together until they'd cleaned their plates.

Weiss helped Blake with the dishes just as an excuse to linger in her presence a bit longer. But after that, it was unavoidably clear that she needed to leave.

"I've got to go home…" she sighed. "Maybe we can meet up again tomorrow? I'll just tell my father I'm working on a project all over winter break so I'll have to go out frequently. But we don't have to come to your house. We can go anywhere else… whatever you can think of or whatever works best for you."

She shuffled her feet and looked down.

"But we can talk online or text about that later tonight.. For now…. would you be able to walk me home? I'm just worried it's still cold out and I just… I won't do well unless I can keep warm."

. . .

Blake didn't like it when Weiss decided she had to leave, but she also knew she couldn't just let her live here forever.

"There's no 'maybe'," she said quickly. "We can _definitely_ meet up as many days as you want, Weiss." Blake pulled her into a hug. "We can come over here or go to a park or anything you want to do. If you won't get in trouble again with your father, I'm more than happy to call you tonight."

Blake kissed Weiss' forehead and looked down into her eyes.

"And I'm _more_ than happy to walk you home and make sure you stay warm. Remember, if you ever need help I'm here for you."

. . .

Weiss already knew that much, but hearing Blake say it again anyway was immensely reassuring.

She asked Blake to thank her parents on Weiss' behalf before the two girls headed to the door.

Weiss shrunk beneath her coat as they stepped out into the cold morning air. Wrapping her arms around one of Blake's, she clung close to her for warmth as they began walking.

But when Weiss could relish the cool, fresh air rather than fear it, it wasn't so bad.

The last time she'd been outside, she'd been traumatized and panicked, and hardly able to walk. But all in a single evening, Blake had given her so much strength.

Now, Weiss walked with her head held higher, though as they neared her home her posture did end up slouching once more.

By the time they were at her driveway, Weiss was shivering again as she looked up at Blake.

"T-Text me when you get home s-so I know you made it back, okay?"

. . .

Although Weiss was shivering on the walk back, she looked much better than she had this time yesterday.

They took their time with the walk back to Weiss' house. If she hadn't been so prone to the cold, Blake probably would've liked to take a detour or a long way back, but eventually they were in Weiss' driveway.

"I'm the one who's supposed to say that," Blake teased and gave Weiss one last hug before she had to let her go. "But yes, I'll text you when I get home."

. . .

"Okay…"

Weiss offered a tiny smile, returning Blake's hug warmly. She tucked her head beneath Blake's chin and stayed there for a long moment, breathing in her scent for the last time.

With a sigh, Weiss finally pulled back. She reached up and cupped Blake's cheeks, then kissed her without a word.

Then, they parted.

"Bye, Blake. Hopefully I can see you again tomorrow."

With a little wave, Weiss turned and headed for the door.

Her father's car wasn't in the driveway, so she wasn't nervous about being in close contact with Blake.

Weiss rang the doorbell, and after a minute of waiting, Winter opened the door to let her in, asking where she had been.

Weiss entered the house as she explained she'd been with Blake doing a project. Her sister ushered her into the kitchen. Weiss winced at the sight of the place. It was sickeningly clean due to when Blake and herself had cleaned everything up yesterday morning. Just remembering it all now made Weiss' stomach twist.

Her sister prepared a bit of food for her, and Weiss ate lunch together with her, chatting casually all the while as she warmed up.

But the tea she sipped that afternoon wasn't as good as the tea she'd had last night.

. . .

Blake stayed until she saw Weiss disappear into her house. She lingered for a moment, wanting to follow her, but knowing she couldn't.

At last, Blake started walking home.

Blake felt much lonelier now. The road back seemed to go on forever, and when she finally got home her house felt a lot emptier than it had last night. She took out her phone right away to reconnect with Weiss.

 _ **I'm home safe.**_

. . .

Once she received the text message from Blake, Weiss smiled a bit. Even though the girl wasn't in her arms anymore, she was still nearby and Weiss could still talk to her.

After finishing the lunch her sister had made for her, she left Winter in the kitchen and retreated to her room. She texted back to Blake:

 ** _Good! I'm glad!_**

After exchanging a few more messages, the two girls ended up video calling once more, and it all felt so familiar to her. It was almost as though she'd never even gone over to meet Blake in person at all. But she couldn't wait to do it again tomorrow.

They made plans to meet up again at Blake's house, and perhaps go for a walk in the park if it wasn't too cold out. Weiss hung up her call as her father's car pulled in the driveway, and for the rest of the night she simply texted Blake.

Before she knew it, it was midnight, and she was curled up for sleep with one last message sent:

 **_I'll see you tomorrow, Blake._ _Goodnight_.**

. . .

Blake was curled up in bed when Weiss texted her goodnight.

 _**Goodnight, Weiss. See you tomorrow!**_

They'd successfully taken their relationship to the next level. In just days they'd gone from online friends to physical lovers.

Now it was just a matter of maintaining and improving things as best they could.

* * *

 **A/N: It's been so long since we first wrote this, I don't even remember what to expect next. Guess we'll all find out next week!**

 **Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A short, silly little chapter before they get to their first date outdoors. I remember my friend specifically asking if we could do this, and I thought it'd be cute so we made it happen.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 10.

When the next morning came, Weiss jumped out of bed, energized at the thought of being able to see Blake once again today. She got dressed and hurried into the kitchen to eat a quick breakfast, lucking out when she didn't run into her father or her sister along the way.

She left a note saying she'd be gone to work on her 'project' again today before slipping on her coat, gloves, and boots, and heading out the door.

The air was frigid today as well, but at least the sun was out and shining strongly overhead. Weiss took out her phone and texted Blake as she walked quickly:

 ** _I'm on my way! It's cold out today!_**

The thought of arriving at Blake's house to run into her warm embrace fueled Weiss to quicken her pace even more until she was running. She wasn't exactly the most physically apt person in the world, however, so she could only run for about a minute before she started to lose her breath in the cold.

By the time she knocked on Blake's door, she was shivering and panting, but eagerly awaited the reward she knew was coming.

. . .

It was about thirty minutes after her alarm that Blake finally woke up. Drowsily, she got out of bed and grabbed her phone, turning it on to check the time.

She felt her stomach drop. Weiss had texted her five minutes ago telling Blake that she was on her way.

"Crap..."

Hopping out of bed, Blake raced downstairs. She didn't have time to change out of her sleep clothes - Weiss would be there any minute.

Right as she reached the front door, she heard a knock on the other side. Opening the door, she saw Weiss standing in front of her. She was wearing heavy clothes and smiling.

"Good morning!" Blake greeted her. "Come in, Weiss. I'm sorry I look like this. I just woke up a few minutes ago. I slept through my alarm."

. . .

The door opened almost right away, and Weiss was a bit surprised. Blake stood before her in her pajamas - the same ones Weiss had seen her wear two nights ago. She was flustered and blushing, embarrassed for being seen like this with her hair and clothes so unkempt. Weiss chuckled as she stepped inside, finally getting her breath back.

"Don't apologize," she said. "It's your house, after all. I think it's adorable that you slept in." Without wasting another second, Weiss stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Blake, nuzzling into her collar with a sigh, breathing in her scent. "I know we've only been apart for a day, but I've missed you so much."

She stayed there for a moment before pulling back, simply to reach up and fix Blake's hair a little bit, curling her fingers through her dark bangs. Weiss couldn't keep the smile off her face as she leaned up to kiss her cheek.

"I hope you slept well."

. . .

Blake's cheeks were on fire. She could only imagine the heat pooling into bright red spots. She could feel her hair sticking up at odd angles, and she knew she must look like a mess.

"I know it's my house, but I don't want you to think I forgot about you coming over today."

Blake reciprocated the embrace, pulling Weiss close against her. They stood like that for a moment before Weiss eased back and started to fuss with Blake's hair. When she was apparently satisfied she leaned up and kissed Blake's cheek. Blake returned the favor.

"I did sleep well. Would you hold it against me if I told you that I dreamed about you?" Blake brought the other girl into the living room. "Make yourself comfortable while I go change. Do you want anything to eat? I haven't had breakfast so I can make us some food. I promise not to make an omelette."

Blake chuckled and kissed Weiss' forehead.

. . .

Flattered by the comment, Weiss smiled. "I'd say that's just perfect. Because I dreamt about you, too," she confessed, kissing Blake's cheek once more.

She removed her coat and shoes as Blake ushered her toward the couch. "I'm fine," she said. "I already ate. Although I trust you wouldn't make an omelette again, anyway. You go do whatever you have to do. Don't rush on my account. I've got nowhere to be."

They hadn't made specific plans for today, but Weiss was intent on going for a walk together with Blake at the very least. The dark-haired girl had mentioned several times that she was a runner, and Weiss was anything but. If at all possible, Weiss wanted to get stronger and enhance her stamina when it came to physical exercise, and she wanted Blake to help her do it.

. . .

"All right. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you get hungry or thirsty," Blake replied. "I'll try not to take too long getting ready." She headed to the bottom of the stairs, but paused before going up to fetch her clothes. Anything specific you want to do today? I'll dress accordingly."

. . .

At Blake's offer to make a suggestion, Weiss decided to speak her mind.

"Well… you'd said that you do a lot of running for school and things like that. And I've never really been very good at that kind of thing. I'm not very strong, and my condition makes it hard for me to be able to run for long periods of time, especially in the winter. I get cold too easily. But…" She looked up across the room to where Blake was waiting for her response.

"But I want to get better. Even if I can't get rid of this condition, I at least want to cope with it better. I know it'll take a lot of hard work, but I want to do the best I can." Her eyes grew misty as she remembered one of her goals that she'd never thought she'd live to see.

"I want to… be able to go for a long walk in the winter with the person I love one day. I want to enjoy the scenery even if it's cold, and I want to walk without getting tired. I want to go for a long walk with _you_ , Blake. It's my dream."

. . .

Blake listened patiently.

On the one hand she wanted to help Weiss, knowing that it would make the girl happy.

On the other hand, the memory of Weiss' poor reaction to the cold yesterday was still fresh in Blake's mind.

Hoping that her mixed feelings weren't evident on her face, Blake thought about Weiss' request carefully.

"All right… we can go outside and I'll help you, but you have to promise me something, Weiss. If you start to feel lightheaded or feel bad in any way, you have to let me know. Your health and safety come first."

After the more serious part of her request, Blake blushed a little bit and dipped her head.

"And... I'd like to go on a long walk with you too, Weiss. It sounds like a lovely dream. I'm happy to be a part of it."

. . .

What Blake was asking was a bit embarrassing for Weiss. She felt like she needed to be treated specially because of her condition - she felt like a child who needed to be monitored at all times. All she wanted to do was go for a walk, and she couldn't even manage that much.

But that wasn't Blake's fault, nor was it her own. Weiss' life had been hindered for too many years because of this, and she wanted to get better. And to do that, she knew she'd have to agree to Blake's terms; had their positions been reversed, Weiss knew she would've demanded the same thing of Blake.

"Of course," she said. Weiss stood from the couch briefly to cross the room and stand in front of Blake. "The last thing I want to do is worry you, Blake. I'll be sure to let you know if I don't feel well. I promise." Reaching down, she looped her pinky finger with Blake's and smiled. "You can count on me."

. . .

Blake smiled.

"Good. Thank you, Weiss." Blake gave a squeeze back to Weiss' pinkie. She leaned down and kissed Weiss, smiling into it as their lips made contact.

She could still hardly believe it was reality, that she'd only just met this girl a few days ago, helped save her life, and now she was here in her living room kissing her. How lucky could Blake be?

When the kiss ended, Blake almost went in for a second, but had to stop herself.

"I'll go change so we can leave soon. Feel free to turn the TV on if you want, or get anything from the kitchen." She gently un-looped her pinkie from Weiss' and headed upstairs.

. . .

Once Blake had disappeared up the stairs, Weiss headed back to the couch. She didn't want to immerse herself with the television, so she just sat quietly as she waited, gazing about the room.

She hadn't gotten much of a chance to do it two nights ago; she'd been mostly focused on Blake and the movie they'd watched together. But for now, Weiss appreciated the little knick-knacks on the shelves, the pattern of the wallpaper, the locations of the windows. The cat sauntered in to greet her, and Weiss pet him for a few minutes before standing.

She decided to take Blake up on her offer and headed to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and extracting an unopened bottle of water. If she was going to practice running and exercising herself today, she knew she'd need it.

She then returned to the living room couch, petting the cat idly as she waited for Blake.

. . .

Blake climbed the stairs quickly, turning into her room and closing the door behind her, not caring that it didn't shut all the way. She disrobed down to her bottom layers, shivering as the cool air hit her bare back and shoulders.

Opening her closet, she searched through it, trying to find something that she thought looked good, but still comfortable and warm. She could faintly hear the sounds of Weiss moving about downstairs and cooing to Fang.

Blake decided on a light purple sweater and pulled it on over her head.

That's when she took a step back onto a partially-empty water bottle. It rolled underneath her foot and she lost her balance. Her shirt was still stuck over her head as she tried and failed to stay upright.

With a yelp, she crashed down to the floor with a resounding _thud_ as the pain registered in the back of her head. She laid there moaning, still trapped and blinded by her sweater.

"Ow..."

. . .

She'd been waiting patiently when she heard the telltale sounds of crisis. There was a loud thud, followed instantly by sounds of pain, and Weiss didn't hesitate for a second as she jumped up from the couch, startling the cat in the process. She ran to the steps and rushed up them, stumbling a few times and bashing her knees until she'd scrambled to the top.

"Blake?" she cried. Weiss skidded to a halt at the door she remembered to be Blake's. It was slightly ajar and in her haste she pushed through, her tone ridden with worry. "Blake? Are you all right?"

She didn't even realize right away how Blake wasn't wearing much clothing. Weiss knelt down at her side and helped her sit up a bit, tugging the sweater down the rest of the way to reveal her face. She cradled Blake's head in her lap, her eyes seeking hers.

"Blake?" she said softly. "I'm here. Are you okay?"

. . .

Blake groaned in pain; her head was throbbing from the fall. She closed her eyes tightly as she waited for the pain to subside.

She heard the fluster of footsteps and was vaguely aware of Weiss' presence before long. Her voice was gentle but still rang in Blake's ears.

"Ow," she muttered. "I'm all right. I just slipped. Give me a minute..."

They remained like that for a moment as the pain ebbed away. Weiss' hands were gentle and felt good as they massaged away the ache in Blake's skull. She almost wanted to curl up and go back to sleep...

And then Blake remembered she was only partially dressed.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at Weiss' face.

"So I, uh... just remembered that I was still getting dressed when I fell..."

. . .

Weiss continued to watch the girl's face, rubbing her chest and shoulders until Blake's expression visibly started to relax, her tight-knit eyebrows finally un-furrowing.

It was Blake's next statement that had Weiss freezing.

"O-Oh, is that so?" She hadn't even noticed Blake was half-dressed, but even now at the mention of it, she refrained from glancing anywhere but her face. Weiss reached one hand down to casually pull Blake's shirt into place, covering her stomach all the way.

"Well then, y-you should probably finish changing when you're ready…"

. . .

"Yeah... probably should," Blake agreed, with a small chuckle as Weiss pulled her shirt down. "Can you help me up?"

Weiss stood up and held her hand out for Blake to grab. Blake accepted and started to thank her.

But a sudden wave of lightheadedness twinged in the back of her skull. Blake swayed and fell forward. Weiss yelped, and though Blake felt her girlfriend's arms lock around her right away, she hadn't been prepared.

The two of them went down together this time.

. . .

It was all Weiss could do to grab onto Blake, making an attempt to catch her. But Blake's weight was too much, and Weiss ended up falling to the floor on her back. This time it was _her_ head that collided with the floorboards.

"Ah-!" She whimpered for a brief minute as Blake's weight settled on top of her. "Ahh, ow… Blake? Are you-"

And then she remembered - again - that Blake was only partially-dressed. Weiss felt her face heat up instantly, and her heart rate doubled. She tightened her grip on her girlfriend, certain Blake could hear the turmoil in her chest, but a little too achy and embarrassed to move just yet.

"B-Blake…?"

. . .

Blake's head was swimming as she lay on what she thought to be the floor. Until the softness and scent of Weiss registered.

Blake was dazed as she waited for the lightheaded feeling to pass.

"S-Sorry. Weiss, are you all right? I'm sorry if I hurt you..." She could feel Weiss' heart - it was beating incredibly fast. She tightened her grip on Weiss, feeling more heat rushing to her face.

Neither of them wanted to move due to the embarrassment, but they both knew they'd have to eventually. Probably sooner rather than later.

"Are... Are you all right, Weiss...?"

. . .

What a fine mess they'd found themselves in. They'd only met three days ago, and had officially been dating for about two, so this was a very sudden and embarrassing development for the both of them.

Weiss didn't know what to do. She could only hold Blake tighter to herself, fearing that if her girlfriend were to get up, it would be bad for the both of them. But even as she was now, Weiss realized she was smothering Blake, hugging the dark-haired girl tightly to her chest.

"I-I'm fine…" she stammered. "I just…" Her head was still hurting a little bit, but above all else was the shyness; her heart was doing backflips. "I-I'll close my eyes and then you can get up and change, all right? I'll wait here until you've finished."

Weiss quickly let go of Blake's back and pressed her palms over her eyes, remaining on the floor on her back.

"A-All right, go put some p-pants on, please!"

. . .

Blake assumed her own face was about as red as Weiss' was right now. She was acutely aware of how fast Weiss' heart was racing and that hers was doing the same.

"Okay. That... sounds like a plan."

Weiss let go of her and covered her eyes with her hands immediately, as if just closing them wasn't good enough. Blake shot up to her feet, careful not to fall over again. Hurrying to her closet she grabbed a pair of jeans and put them on as quickly as she could.

"All right. You can open your eyes again." Blake made her way back over to Weiss and held out her hand.

. . .

Weiss remained on the floor, feeling every thump of her heart as she gradually started to calm down.

Even after Blake had given her the OK, Weiss waited an extra second just to be sure. When she finally did reopen her eyes, she was relieved to find Blake fully dressed and offering her hand.

"Thank goodness," Weiss wheezed. "My heart definitely wasn't ready for that." Shyly, she reached up toward Blake's hand and squeezed it.

. . .

Blake knew that Weiss flustered easily but it was still funny and adorable to see it happen.

Blake gave a tug to her wrist and helped her girlfriend up. As soon as she was on her feet, Blake wrapped her up in a hug, holding her close.

"Sorry. I'll try not to let it happen again, but no promises." Blake teased, and gave Weiss a kiss on the forehead. "So now that the excitement is over, are you ready to go on a walk?"

. . .

"W-Why you... don't go getting any ideas." she mumbled. "But yes, if you're _sure_ you're dressed now, then let's be off, shall we?" She pulled away from Blake and spun on her heel to conceal her still-present blush, then headed for the stairs.

Weiss buttoned up her blue coat as she prepared to step outside into the cold winter day with Blake. Now that she was just minutes away from going outside, the anxieties were starting to work their way up into her chest. She did her best to push them back down and hooked her arm around Blake's.

"I can't promise I'll be able to go very far today, but we can at least walk to the park. I can try to jog a bit if you'll coach me!" She checked to ensure the little bottle of water was in her pocket before she began leading Blake to the door.

Despite the bit of nervousness bubbling up within her, this was also pretty exciting. She'd never done anything like this before - never had a reason to try, or a person to try it with.

. . .

Blake grabbed her own coat on the way to the front door and got ready with Weiss in the foyer.

"That's alright. We'll go at your pace. I'm just happy to be spending the time with you." Blake bent down to get her boots on. "Oh, before I forget, let me grab a few things." Blake hurried into the kitchen, grabbing herself a water bottle and some snacks for later. She stuffed them in her pockets before heading back to the front door where Weiss waited.

"After you," Blake said. She hooked her arm through Weiss' and stepped close, bracing herself for the cold, and whatever lie beyond.

. . .

Weiss waited until Blake was ready, then steeled herself to step outside. But before that, she hugged Blake again, relishing the last bit of her warmth.

She was nervous, but also very excited to take the first step with this. But as long as she was with Blake, she wasn't scared.

So Weiss eased back, hugged herself to Blake's side, and touched the door knob.

She pulled to open it, and took the first step outside into the snow.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, this little beginning of the morning had to be its own chapter or else the next chapter would be too long. Don't worry though, we will get to see their little outside 'date' next week! With perhaps a bit of drama...?**

 **Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Time for a romantic winter walk in the park! Perfect for the holiday week, so this timing worked out well!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 11.

The day was still a bit chilly, but with Blake at her side, Weiss felt immensely warmer now. She stuck close, sharing her own body heat and savoring Blake's as much as possible, her eyes trained ahead on the familiar scenery of the town.

Now that she thought about it, Weiss really didn't go outside much, other than to walk to and from the bus stop. Even in the warmer weather when she wasn't at risk of her condition and prone to the elements, Weiss was usually cooped up in her room and busy with schoolwork. Her family didn't go on vacations, so it wasn't often at all she got to be outside for longer than a few minutes.

As they walked, Weiss watched her breath float up around her. Though she was next to her, Blake was leading slightly, as she knew where the nearby park was. As soon as it was in sight, Weiss felt her lips curl into a smile.

"We're here." It was exciting now that Blake was actually going to train her on how to run and build up her stamina a bit. "So how do we start?"

. . .

Blake could tell that Weiss was enjoying herself. She thought it was cute when the other girl watched her breath float up with each exhale. Blake kept close to her, making sure to support Weiss and keep her as warm as possible, given the circumstances.

When the park was in sight she began leading Weiss toward the flatter area where the field was covered in a light layer of snow.

"Well, how about first we take a short walk around the park and plan a route we'll run? Then I'll show you some stretches, and then we'll jog. If you're feeling up to it, we even try to can sprint before we go back to my house."

. . .

"All right," Weiss nodded. "That sounds fine. I think I can handle it. It sounds easy enough."

And it did sound easy, at the time. And for a while, it was. They walked around the park as Blake had suggested, keeping to the little sidewalk that cut through the trees and bushes. Everything was covered in a frosting of light snow, and the large pond they passed by was coated in a thin layer of ice.

Weiss could imagine how the scenery looked in summer or spring; green grass, blues skies, and blossoming colors in the flowers around them, but for now it was just greys and browns. Even so, Weiss enjoyed the lack of color; the shades of whites reminded her this was the winter walk she'd always longed to go on. And she was with Blake.

But after several minutes of following the path, after the walk to get here, Weiss' breath started to strain. She tugged on Blake's arm and nodded to a vacant, nearby bench.

"Let me just sit down for a moment…"

. . .

Blake enjoyed the scenery, and the feeling of getting to be outdoors with her girlfriend, but she kept a close eye on Weiss. So as soon as Weiss started to falter, Blake was ready.

"Sure thing. Just take it easy. We can take as long as you need." Blake cleared off the bench a bit before they sat down. Once Weiss was seated Blake pulled her closer to share her body heat. "Maybe we'll skip the running for today."

. . .

"Right…" Weiss sighed. "Maybe it would be best to skip for today. Just walking around the park should be fine. We can plan out a path today, and then use that to run on for tomorrow." She was already feeling a bit guilty for having to make them stop already, but at the very least, they could use today to plan tomorrow.

For a few minutes, Weiss leaned against Blake's side and closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing. Her heart was thumping a bit beneath her coat, and her chest felt cold, but with Blake next to her, she felt she could fend it all off. She hugged herself closer to her girlfriend until the shivering stopped.

After a few minutes of rest, Weiss could breathe easier again, and she re-opened her eyes. She got out her bottle of water and took a sip to soothe her throat before capping it and putting it back in her pocket.

"All right. I think I'm ready to go again," she announced.

. . .

Blake waited a few minutes with her, gently stroking through Weiss' hair and leaving a few kisses behind as well. She wanted to show she didn't mind having to wait for her.

She was relieved when she finally felt Weiss' shivering stop, and her breathing became easier. Blake followed suit and took a sip of her own water bottle, then reached into her pocket and grabbed the snacks she had brought.

"Would you like something to eat? I brought protein bars and granola bars."

. . .

"Oh, that's perfect!" Weiss happily accepted one of the protein bars and unwrapped it, stuffing the trash into her pocket to dispose of later. She bit into it and chewed, savoring the flavors of the nuts and raisins as opposed to the rather tasteless chill of the air that resided on her tongue at present.

After they'd eaten and drank a bit more, the two girls stood together and continued on their way. They stuck to the sidewalk that cut through the park, determining that half the milage might be better for Weiss than covering the entire park in one go. She did have to request Blake to stop several more times along the way, however, and every time, it made Weiss a little more disheartened.

As the two of them sat on a bench for the fourth time that day to allow the white-haired girl to catch her breath, Weiss couldn't help but notice the other couples walking happily about. With a withering sigh, she leaned sideways onto her girlfriend.

"I just want _that_ ," she mumbled. "I want to be healthy enough to be able to go on a long walk together with you. Why is that so much to ask for…?"

She wasn't really expecting an answer, but rather, she was voicing past regrets and current dreams. She wanted to achieve this more than anything. For Blake, and for herself.

. . .

Blake didn't mind all the frequent stops to rest, but clearly Weiss did. She made it clear by voicing her regrets. Blake squeezed her hand gently and bumped her shoulder to Weiss'.

"Hey, you're doing great, Weiss. Don't forget we walked all the way here and around the park, so we _have_ gone on a long walk together. And you'll only get better the more we practice, so don't get discouraged."

Blake let her fingers brush over Weiss' cheek. She turned Weiss toward her and left a soft kiss on her cheek, pink from the cold.

. . .

Weiss nuzzled Blake's nose softly once the kiss ended.

"…You're right. Sorry for being so glum about it. I'll try to keep looking on the positive side like you, Blake." With a smile, Weiss leaned into her girlfriend's side once more, resting her head on Blake's shoulder. She dozed for another moment, until she felt ready to move again. "All right, let's go. We can probably start heading back to your house now."

They stood and continued on their way, finishing their half-lap around the park. Weiss only needed to stop them one more time for a rest before they were on the path back home.

It was about half a mile away from Blake's home when she started coughing.

At first, they were just inconvenient itches in the back of her throat, and Weiss grunted and made several attempts to clear them away, but to no avail. Before long, she was releasing full, hard coughs into her elbow, and then bouts of them were assaulting her lungs so badly she needed to stop walking.

Her hands clutched Blake's arm tightly, tears clinging to her eyes as she hacked roughly. It was always hard to calm down once this sort of thing started; she'd just have to suffer through it until it'd run its course.

. . .

After the rest of the walk had gone so smoothly, Blake jolted in shock when Weiss suddenly started coughing. The sounds of her rasping voice stung Blake's ears even more than the cold.

It got bad quickly, bad enough they had to come to a complete stop. Weiss clung to her arm with nearly all of her weight, and Blake had to reach out to hold onto her so she wouldn't sway. She could see small tears in the corners of Weiss' eyes.

Trying not to panic, Blake kept her voice and her girlfriend steady.

"W-Weiss? Hey, take it easy. You'll be okay." Blake pressed a little kiss into Weiss' hair. At the same time she gently rubbed her heaving back in small circles to try and soothe any discomfort.

. . .

It was almost surprising for Weiss when she felt Blake's arms around her. Within the past few days, she'd gotten used to Blake's presence and closeness, but only in quieter atmospheres. In the kitchen at Weiss' house and in Blake's own bedroom, all of those times had been more delicate moments.

But this one was loud and painful, different than the physical feeling of a knife on her wrist, but the internal scratching and hacking tearing at her lungs and throat weren't any less agonizing.

And still, it wasn't as bad as it usually was. Weiss had suffered such attacks many times before, usually on her way to school or on the way home in the wintertime. Sometimes, it even happened if she'd neglected to close her window all the way and a cold breeze slipped into her bedroom. All those times, she'd been forced to deal with it alone.

But now she had Blake.

Weiss had never known what it felt like before to have someone hold her through the discomfort, to have reassuring words spoken into her ears, and cajoling hands rubbing her shuddering back. With Blake there to help her through it, Weiss' attack only lasted half the time it normally would have. By the time she'd calmed down and wiped her eyes, she looked up to Blake and sighed.

"Th-Thank you…"

. . .

Blake held Weiss close to her as the coughing fit racked her body. It terrified her. She didn't know what she could do to help, if anything. This was something Blake couldn't really save her from or help her with like she had in the past. All she could do was keep whispering reassurances.

Thankfully, after about a minute, the coughs started to subside, and Weiss started to calm down. Blake gently thumbed away a few of the tears on the girl's cheek.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm just glad it's over. How are you feeling? Do you need to sit down?"

. . .

Weiss shook her head as the last of the coughs subsided at long last. She wiped her coat's sleeve over her face and finally cleared her throat, though her voice was rasping when she spoke again.

"No… I'm all right now…" she panted. "Thank you, anyway, Blake. It… wasn't nearly as bad with you here this time. Thank you…" She hugged the taller girl again and sighed. "I think we should head back now, if that's okay. We've done quite a lot today."

She kept her arms around Blake and leaned against her as they walked the rest of the way to the house, fending off the shivers. She'd enjoyed the walk through the park, but now she was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon inside.

. . .

Blake was relieved when Weiss suggested going back. If she'd been the stubborn type to keep trying, Blake isn't sure what she would've done to try and persuade her otherwise.

"I agree. Let's go, then." She started walking, slowly enough for Weiss to keep up without aggravating her cough. Blake helped support her girlfriend all the way and kept a hand in hers.

When Blake could see her house, she fished her keys out of her pocket and hurried them to the door. Upon opening it, a warm gust of air came to meet them. Blake sighed.

"Made it," she said, kissing Weiss' head. "Okay, you go relax while I get started on some tea. Is there anything else I can get you?"

. . .

Weiss sighed too as soon as she was back inside.

"No, I'll be alright. Thank you, though."

Weiss removed her coat and hung it on the coat rack, then stepped out of her shoes and put them aside. The heated house was a haven to her after the long walk in the cold winter air.

But with more practice, she'd someday be able to come back here comfortably after a walk, or even a jog. She'd just have to heed Blake's advice and keep putting in effort to achieve this goal of hers.

She sat down on the couch as her girlfriend had instructed, waiting for Blake's return. In the meantime, Weiss leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes, feeling the slight ache in her lungs finally die away, until it didn't irritate her throat to breathe.

. . .

Blake took off her jacket and hung it up next to her girlfriend's. She made sure Weiss was all right in the living room before heading into the kitchen.

She turned the hot water on as she rummaged through the cabinets to find the teabags and started to prepare everything. After just a few minutes, she'd finished making two hot mugs of Jasmine. She added a bit of honey into Weiss' to help sooth her throat.

Fang followed her back to the living room where Blake handed her waiting girlfriend her cup and carefully sat down beside her.

"Here. This should help."

. . .

"Thank you," Weiss said with a polite smile.

They enjoyed the tea in addition to another movie. Weiss discovered that Blake had a love for science-fiction and action films with a dash of humor. Weiss found herself chuckling at a few particular lines in this film. But by the end of the first hour, the warm tea in her belly had made her inclined to fall asleep curled up at Blake's side.

She woke up a few hours later to find Blake hadn't had the heart to rouse her. With a tiny yawn, Weiss hugged her girlfriend loosely before sitting up.

"Mm, you should've woken me. I keep falling asleep at your house…" A glance to the clock told her it was time to head home. She sighed. "I should go. Could you walk me home if it's not too much trouble?"

. . .

Blake had been enjoying the quiet time alone with her sleeping girlfriend. She'd been debating letting her sleep until evening as an excuse to have Weiss sleep over again. But when Weiss did wake, Blake accepted the fact that she needed to go.

"I'm glad you got a bit of rest." Blake glanced at the clock and frowned, but turned it into another kiss on Weiss' temple. "Of course I'll walk you home. I'm just going to feed Fang, then we can go."

. . .

Weiss complied and stood, crossing the room to retrieve her jacket and slip back into her shoes. She blinked rapidly in order to keep herself awake as she waited for Blake. After a few minutes, her girlfriend re-emerged and prepared to leave.

Once they were ready, they headed out, and Weiss took up her usual position in hugging Blake's arm as they walked. The air was growing a bit cooler now that it was getting late, and Weiss tried not to breathe through her mouth. She only needed to stop Blake once for a rest on their way back to her house, and Weiss felt somewhat accomplished about that.

Once she reached the front door, she strained up to kiss Blake's cheek.

"So… can we do this again tomorrow? I want to get better as soon as possible. Let me know whatever days are best for you and when you're free." She hugged Blake for a moment to savor the last of her warmth for the day, then kissed her again. "And thank you for today, Blake. It was nice to finally start working toward my dream."

. . .

Blake savored her last walk with Weiss for the day. If Weiss hadn't been bad with the cold, Blake definitely would've tried to extend their time together, but as things were she had to accept their parting. She walked Weiss up to the front door of the house - the house Blake didn't particularly like. She didn't like having to leave Weiss here every night to huddle up alone in her room.

But Blake focused on the moment and the kiss Weiss left on her lips. Blake kissed back.

"Of course we can do this tomorrow. Did you think I'd say no? If I ever say no, you can assume I've officially lost my mind." She eased back and ran her fingers through Weiss' bangs, letting them brush her rosy cheek. "I'm more than happy to help you reach your dream, Weiss. Now go get some dinner and I'll see you tomorrow."

She leaned down for one more kiss and made it last.

. . .

They parted, and Weiss went inside, though she peered through the window to wave to her girlfriend one last time. She stayed there until Blake had walked away and Weiss couldn't see her anymore.

At that point, she went into the kitchen to prepare a meal for herself, receiving Blake's text indicating she'd gotten home just a few minutes later.

Weiss' father wasn't home right now, and Winter was likely locked away in her study. So Weiss could enjoy her meal in peace, without the potential pressure of being interrupted or asked questions. She texted Blake for a while as she ate, and afterward went up to her room to visit her blog. It wasn't long before she video called with her girlfriend, and enjoyed the peaceful evening after the long day.

When she finally said goodnight to Blake, Weiss curled up in her bed to find that it didn't feel quite as chilly as it had been, even though it was still the heart of the coldest season. She liked to believe it was because of the practice she'd done today, that walking the park with Blake had allowed her condition to improve just a bit.

If these were the results, she couldn't wait until tomorrow when she could do it all again.

. . .

Blake hated leaving, but she smiled and waved back to Weiss before turning away to walk back on her own. It was a boring and chilly trek without Weiss there beside her.

When she finally got home it was dark outside as if it was midnight. She turned on the lights as she went about making herself dinner and feeding Fang. The entire time she was texting Weiss as per usual, and when she finished her dinner she went upstairs for a video call.

They laughed and chatted and shared videos like always. When it was time to hang up, Blake went to bed with a smile on her face.

* * *

 **A/N: Baby steps! Happy holidays to all!**

 **Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Glad everyone is continuing to enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 12.

The remainder of the week consisted of a similar process. Weiss informed her father she would be going to a colleague's house to work on a project, and every morning she'd dress, eat, and head out, bound for Blake's house. Once there, the two would greet one another with tender kisses before heading out to the park.

They'd simply walk for an hour or two, resting occasionally whenever Weiss grew too exhausted or cold.

As the days gradually progressed, Weiss could feel the change in herself as clearly as Blake could see it. Less and less time was being spent waiting for Weiss to catch her breath, and more and more time was being spent walking side-by-side and enjoying the scenery.

That week of success was what led Weiss to make her request presently on her Saturday morning with Blake.

"I think I'd like to try running a bit today," she decided, looking determinedly up at her girlfriend. "You're a runner after all, and I think I've gotten good enough at the walking. So I want to try running today. Just a bit."

. . .

It wasn't a surprise to Blake when Weiss wanted to run that Saturday morning when they were at the park. She looked up at Blake with a determination Blake had become familiar with over the weeks.

"All right, we can do some light jogging along the path we set out. You can set the pace and I'll keep up with you."

. . .

She listened to Blake's criteria, knowing full-well that her own wellbeing came first in Blake's mind, and Weiss was thankful for that. The white-haired girl nodded determinedly, shifting her weight eagerly from one foot to the other as she prepared herself.

"All right. Then let's start jogging!"

It was something she never thought she'd be able to say, let alone do.

Standing beside Blake now, they were on the sidewalk of the park, preparing to begin. There was a bit of frost on the grass, but no ice on the sidewalk, so there was little risk of slipping.

With a nervous, yet excited glance to Blake, Weiss did as she was told and set the pace, starting off with a walk. Blake followed along beside her, and for several minutes, they maintained that pace. But Weiss knew Blake was a runner, knew that she could handle much more intense speeds than this, and she didn't want to bore her with this child's play.

So Weiss started to go a little faster, until she was jogging - slowly - but jogging nonetheless. She tried to keep her mouth closed for as long as possible so the cold air wouldn't fill her lungs so quickly, making sure to breathe through her nose. She flashed a glance at Blake, wondering if she was all right with this.

. . .

Blake stretched out her legs a bit before Weiss was ready, and they started off together. Weiss started off with a walk that Blake easily matched. After a moment the white-haired girl started to speed up, and after another moment she sped up again until she was mostly jogging.

Blake was able to keep speed without difficulty, and made sure to take Weiss' hand in hers as they went. She was happy to see Weiss moving more than she'd ever done before.

Weiss looked fine, if not a bit tired. Blake offered a bit of advice.

"Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. I know it may feel uncomfortable with the cold air, but it will help you get enough oxygen and not tire out as fast."

. . .

She listened intently to Blake's instructions and nodded.

"Right. In through my nose and out through my mouth. Got it."

Weiss made the change, consciously having herself inhale and exhale as her girlfriend had told her to. She continued her slow jog, passing another inquiring glance to Blake.

"You're right. This feels a bit better! Though it _is_ very nippy today."

The frigid winter air was sucked sharply into her lungs and left more slowly. She did her best to monitor her breathing as she continued to jog. She was already starting to feel a bit exhausted, but she didn't want to take a break just yet. They'd only been going for a few minutes, and she knew this was hardly even a warm-up for Blake.

Weiss pushed herself a little harder in an effort to increase her pace. But a sudden pang went through her chest and she gasped. Weiss stopped abruptly and grabbed onto Blake's arm for support, staggering as her heart started to flutter.

"A-Ah…. haa… ow…"

. . .

It had all been going rather smoothly, all things considered, until Weiss suddenly stopped and clutched onto Blake's coat sleeve. In only seconds her posture slumped and she was panting for breath.

Blake froze and quickly grabbed onto Weiss to keep her on her feet.

"Weiss! What's wrong?" She tried to swallow down the panic, not wanting to let it rub off on Weiss. She tried to keep her hands from shaking as she gently stroke them through Weiss' hair. "Hey, Weiss...?"

. . .

This all seemed so familiar. She'd done it again, pushed herself too hard and now she was paying for it, and worrying Blake as well. She could feel her girlfriend's presence beside her now, hands on her back and chest to support her.

Weiss shook her head breathlessly.

"I-I don't know… I wasn't even going that fast…" She squeezed her eyes shut and just focused on inhaling slowly. It took a lot more effort than it should've. Her heart was throbbing beneath her coat, and there was an odd heat in her chest that mixed with the cold air to create a feeling of numbness.

"I'll... be fine in a moment... I just need to rest..."

She couldn't hold herself up any longer. Weiss dropped to her knees, and felt Blake coming with her. She held onto her girlfriend and hugged her as much as she could. She closed her eyes and just breathed.

. . .

Blake yelped when Weiss' weight sagged and she went to the ground. Blake reflexively tightened her hold and lowered herself as well, helping lighten Weiss' landing.

"Whoa! Easy, easy!" Blake held Weiss gently to her chest and just ran her hands up and down her back, petting through her hair softly. "That's fine. Take as much time as you need, okay? No rush. It's okay. I've got you, Weiss..."

The seconds passed very slowly. Blake was just glad there weren't any other people nearby, or else Weiss would've definitely been embarrassed about all this. Blake just did her best to keep her warm and steady.

"Easy... Does anything hurt? Are you okay? Should I call 9-1-1 or something?"

. . .

Blake's arms were around her now, rubbing up and down softly as Weiss continued to wheeze into her girlfriend's shoulder. Weiss focused on Blake's breathing pattern and matched her own to it.

"No..." she sighed. "No need to call. I'm all right now." She hugged Blake a little tighter, more assuredly now that she'd stopped shaking. "This is enough. Thank you, Blake."

The ache in her chest finally faded, and her breath returned to normal now. She heaved one last sigh that turned white in the winter air, then buried her face in Blake's shoulder.

"Thank you."

. . .

Blake kept rubbing up and down her girlfriend's back. As much as the sudden scare had startled her, she was just happy it hadn't been severe or affected Weiss for too long.

Blake's heart finally calmed down a little as she felt Weiss' doing the same. She let out a long sigh and pressed a kiss to Weiss' cheek.

"No need to thank me. Are you sure you're okay?"

. . .

Weiss eased herself back a little and offered Blake a tiny smile.

"I think so. Nothing like that has ever happened before. I just felt a bit dizzy all of a sudden..." Another sigh, and she tucked her face into the side of Blake's neck. "It was just a little scary. I hope something like that won't happen every time I try to move a little more quickly..."

She nestled into Blake's collar and stayed there for a moment, breathing in her familiar scent.

. . .

Blake helped her girlfriend sit up and kept her close.

"We'll take it slow. We can still just go for walks if you can't manage jogging or running. I don't want you to get hurt." Blake kissed her again, this time on the temple, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You couldn't have known this would happen. Maybe it will get better with time. You could always look into getting an inhaler, or see if your doctor has any possible solutions. Either way, whatever happens, I'll be here with you, Weiss."

Blake nudged her back slowly and looked into her eyes affectionately before kissing her lips.

. . .

Blake's suggestions came so easily, and they might've even been good enough to call solutions. Weiss' doctor had only ever diagnosed her before, but Weiss had never thought to ask about potential medication, and an inhaler was a good place to start.

Most importantly, Blake reminded Weiss that none of this was her fault, made her realize she didn't need to repent or apologize for anything.

With another sigh, Weiss squeezed Blake once more.

"All right… I can try some of those things. And yes, maybe let's… take it slow. Just walking a bit."

. . .

Blake wrapped her arms around Weiss and pulled her into a hug again. The cold air hung around them as they sat on the sidewalk. Each time Blake exhaled her breath would bloom in front of her and billow out.

"See? It's not a hopeless situation, Weiss. Even if you can't run very hard, we can still come out and enjoy a walk together. And who knows, maybe your doctor might have some medicine that could really help you."

. . .

She was silent for a moment, eyes closed as she nuzzled into Blake's chest, listening to the faint, calming beat of her heart. The sound served to sooth her at long last, and Weiss hugged her girlfriend's back.

After a few more minutes, Weiss uncurled her legs, determined to stand. With Blake's help, she got shakily to her feet, leaning a bit of her weight on her for support. At the very least, she was able to stand on her own, though she kept her hands on Blake's as she looked up into her kind eyes.

"Thank you, Blake," Weiss whispered. "This is… the third time you've saved me now. I don't know what else I can do but say thank you." She tugged Blake's wrists, pulling her down and straining up to kiss her lips. She just prayed she could convey her utmost affection for Blake this way, hoping this could suffice. She kissed her several times, breathing murmurs of gratitude in between each one.

"I love you so much."

. . .

Blake kissed her back every time, feeling both her mouth and Weiss' curling into smiles. When they were finished she bumped noses with her.

"You're welcome, Weiss. I'm happy to be there to help you again if you need it. I love you, too."

Once they'd parted at last, the two girls unanimously decided not to try any more jogging today. They simply followed the path of the sidewalk around the park, walking at a leisurely pace all the while. Weiss only needed to rest once, and had she not just suffered the attack from earlier, she was willing to believe she wouldn't have needed that break at all.

They lapped the park, and by then it was noontime. That was when the couple decided to stop and get some lunch together, just a few sandwiches and drinks from a small street vender.

. . .

By the time evening was rolling around, Blake had walked Weiss back home, pausing just outside the front door to say goodbye. Weiss turned to her and pulled her down into one more kiss.

"Thank you again for today, Blake. For everything. I'm going to research my condition a bit, and then hopefully make an appointment with my doctor sometime soon. We only have two weeks left for our break, but I hope I'll have gotten a bit better by the time it's over. I know a great deal of it is thanks to you."

. . .

Blake indulged her in yet another kiss.

"It was my pleasure to help you, Weiss. I just hope you feel better. If you need any more help I'm always here. Same time tomorrow?" Blake was determined to spend the rest of the break with Weiss no matter what.

. . .

"Right," she nodded. "Same time tomorrow."

After one last kiss on the cheek, the two girls went separate ways. Weiss retreated into her house as Blake began walking home. Weiss found there was no one else on the ground floor, so she prepared herself a bit of supper before heading upstairs. She checked her phone, ensuring Blake had made it home safely.

Then, Weiss went to her desk and opened up her laptop. But she wasn't intent on going on her blog this evening. She was going to make good on her word about researching her illness.

She checked various sites, trying to dig deeper and find out information she didn't already know. She emailed her doctor as well, wondering about any new potential information that might have been discovered in recent years. Unfortunately, it was like asthma, but the same treatments wouldn't suffice, therefore it wasn't something an inhaler could help.

The only known cure appeared to be conditioning via exercise, nothing strenuous, but repetitive. It seemed to be best to gradually increase the exercise daily to strengthen her heart and lungs, but if she suffered any pain or shortness of breath, she was to stop immediately to rest.

It wasn't what she'd been expecting, but Weiss found she rather liked this treatment. It was something she needed to earn herself, and she wouldn't have to rely on something else like medicine to help herself get better.

This was entirely on herself, and she was intent to succeed.

. . .

Blake made the walk home and was glad to be back inside again. Immediately when she entered her house Fang came to greet her, meowing and rubbing against her leg.

Texting Weiss that she had made it home all right, Blake looked down at her cat.

"I guess you want dinner."

Blake prepared food for both Fang and herself, then spent the rest of the night relaxing and texting Weiss. The scare that had happened today had left Blake nervous, but she was glad to know Weiss was all right for sure now.

Before long she lay in her bed, feeling herself drifting off into sleep.

 _ **I'm going to bed, I'll see you in tomorrow Weiss. Love you, hope you sleep well.**_

. . .

It was Blake's text that had Weiss realizing the time. She'd been researching for several hours now, and she felt she'd learned all she'd be able to. She typed up a quick reply to Blake: **_Goodnight! Love you, too!_ **and then she retreated to her bed.

Now with the knowledge she held, she felt she could beat this condition, whatever it might've been.

* * *

 **A/N: This fic will be wrapping up in just one or two more chapters, so stay tuned!**

 **Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**This will be our final main chapter, with a climax to boot!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 13.

For the next several days, it was the same routine for Weiss: wake up, eat breakfast, then go to the park to meet Blake. They'd start at a slow walk, rest for a few snacks or sips of water, and then start some light jogging.

Weiss suffered a few more minor bouts of breathlessness, but never pushed herself hard enough to warrant anything bad. Whenever she needed to stop, Blake never got short-tempered or impatient with her. She was always understanding and ready to help Weiss get back on her feet with a kiss.

Presently, they'd just begun their morning jog at a slow, controlled pace. It was flurrying slightly, and the girls had decided to make a quick round so they could retreat back to Blake's house for some hot chocolate.

Weiss kept pace beside her girlfriend, re-adjusting her scarf a bit as they jogged.

"We just passed one minute!" she declared with a glance at her wrist watch beneath her glove. "That's the most I've jogged so far without stopping!"

. . .

Blake had gotten caught up in the thrill of the run like she often did when practicing for track. She was always sure to keep an eye on Weiss to ensure she was doing well. But she didn't even realize how long they'd managed to go today until her girlfriend spoke up.

Blake slowed herself and turned around to give Weiss a hug.

"I'm proud of you, Weiss! You've made so much progress!"

. . .

Weiss hummed happily, nuzzling closer into Blake's coat. "Thank you! I feel a lot better about everything, that's for sure!" She stepped back, then kissed Blake's cheek sweetly. "Let's keep going!"

Looping her elbow around Blake's, they started off again, walking at a slower pace this time, going for endurance. They kept to the sidewalk, where, past a stretch of grass, was a small road. A few cars passed them on occasion, but for the most part all was quiet. There didn't seem to be very many people in the park today, likely because they were staying home due to the snow.

It was only a few more minutes before Weiss began to shiver. Her mouth was dry, and she was getting a bit too cold. Therefore, she soon tugged on Blake's arm.

"Can we head back soon? It's getting a bit chilly…"

. . .

Blake could feel Weiss shivering against her side, holding tighter to her to stay warm. Blake pulled her a bit closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, let's go. Do you want to come to my house or go back to yours?"

As much as she didn't like making the offer of having Weiss go back the house where that awful excuse for a father lived, Blake didn't want to have her own house be the only option. Even so, she hoped Weiss would choose to come back with Blake.

. . .

"Hm," Weiss pondered. "I think it might be best to just go back to your house, if that's all right. I'm still not sure about how my father will react if he sees us together, even if he doesn't know we're dating."

Her father hadn't yelled or gotten angry with Weiss since the day Blake had saved her life. Weiss' household had been somewhat peaceful since then, and she didn't want to ruin it now, even if it was by accident.

She could tell that Blake was relieved with her choice, too.

They continued to walk for several more minutes, following the sidewalk that cut through the snow-covered grass just beside the street. Weiss clung happily to Blake's arm all the while, watching her breath as it rose up in white puffs.

And then something caught her eye.

Weiss froze as her gaze caught sight of a familiar white car not far away, parked on the side of the street.

Her grip on Blake's arm suddenly turned to a vice. Her voice tumbled out on a thin wisp of air.

"No… oh, no…"

. . .

Without warning, Weiss was suddenly clutching her arm tightly as she came to a dead stop. Blake instantly felt herself tense up.

"Weiss? What's wrong?" Blake looked her over, trying to detect any signs of distress. But she could tell right away that Weiss' breathlessness this time wasn't due to the cold.

She followed Weiss' line of sight to the street, where a white car was parked. Blake felt her chest tighten. She'd seen that car before, passing by her whenever she'd dropped Weiss back off at her house. She had a sinking feeling she knew who it belonged to.

"That... That's not..."

. . .

Weiss didn't hear her. The blood was roaring in her ears, her heart pounding so loudly she thought she might go deaf. Her hands clutched tighter still to Blake's arm, her eyes locked on that familiar car.

"No…" she whimpered again. "No, B-Blake we've got to get out of here-"

She jumped slightly as the door of the car opened. Weiss only kept herself up due to Blake's support.

The man who stepped out of the car was exactly who she feared it would be.

And he wasn't happy.

Weiss shook her head and backed another step away.

"No, F-Father..." she whispered. Then, her voice raised in panic. "Blake, you should go..."

. . .

Blake could see the blood drain from her girlfriend's face as the driver revealed themselves. Blake hadn't ever seen him before, but she knew right away who he was.

He was a stern-looking man with grey hair, and he was wearing a very professional business suit. He was already looking directly at them. And then he started walking their way.

Blake felt a lot of things in that moment. The initial instinct was to run as Weiss said, but Blake stood her ground. That fear was gradually replaced by an angry defiance.

This was the man who had treated Weiss horribly enough to make her consider taking her own life.

Blake wasn't about to run from him.

She steeled herself and stepped in front of Weiss to shield her. Her voice was firm and unflagging.

"I'm not going to run, Weiss. Whatever he has to say, he can say it. I'm here because you need me, and because I need you too, remember?" She turned to look back at her frightened girlfriend with pacifying eyes. "He won't hurt you anymore. Not while you have me."

. . .

"B-But, Blake!" she cried. "That's my father! He doesn't know about us - about _anything!_ He's going to be furious seeing us together!" Again, she made an effort to push Blake away, urging her to run, but the dark-haired girl didn't budge. "Blake, please-"

But her father was already upon them.

"What _is_ all this, young lady?" he demanded.

Weiss stepped to Blake's side in order to face her approaching father.

"D-Daddy-"

" _You_ told me," he growled. "That you'd be going to a classmate's house to work on a project for school. Is _this_ -" he motioned to the two girls disgustedly. "-what you've been doing these past two weeks? Going on walks latched onto some random girl?"

"She's not just some random girl!" Weiss snapped. "She's a classmate, and she's my-"

She cut herself off, but it was too late. Her father had understood what she'd been trying to convey.

And he didn't like it.

" _What?_ " His voice was low and colder than the air.

"Daddy, listen-"

"All this time, you've been _dating_ this girl? _My daughter_ dating without my permission? How disgraceful. Come here this instant! I'll give you a stern punishment when we get home."

Weiss couldn't move. She'd been too scared of him for too long, but she didn't want to go with him now...

. . .

Blake had heard enough. This man had about as much respect for his daughter than Blake had thought he would, which was about as much respect as he probably had for a stray dog. Blake puffed up her chest and squared up to him, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"No, Weiss. You don't have to go. You don't deserve to be punished just because you have a _girlfriend._ " Blake emphasized the word and watched the fire in Mr. Schnee's eyes burn with anger.

There'd once been a time when Blake had been timid and non-confrontational, and perhaps even nowadays she tended to be that way most of the time. But this was an outstanding case. The fact he was yelling at Weiss and treating her so horribly changed things for Blake.

Blake looked back to Weiss for a second and squeezed her hand, then glared back at the man in front of her.

"Mr. Schnee, what's your problem exactly with Weiss finding someone who cares for her?" There was an edge to her voice as she stared him down.

. . .

Blake wasn't listening to her pleas, and Weiss was becoming desperate. She didn't want her father to go off saying even more horrible things to Blake.

"Blake, don't-"

But it was no use. Blake had put herself between Weiss and her outraged father, shielding her with her own body. Weiss clung to her girlfriend's hand, trying to prevent the ensuing argument that was bound to follow, but to no avail.

As soon as Blake started hurling accusatory questions at Weiss' father, he snickered harshly.

" _Care_ for her? You think you can do that, girl? You're a teenager in high school. You don't care about anyone but yourself. Your relationship with my daughter won't last more than a few months at best. You'll find someone else and drop her like a rock."

"Daddy!" Weiss cried out. "How horrible!"

"How dare you raise your voice at me?" he snapped. "I'm not wrong. No two kids who are dating in high school last as far as college or beyond. _Especially_ when they don't have permission to date in the first place." He glared at his daughter again. "Now come here."

. . .

Blake grit her teeth when he insinuated their relationship was merely a phase. It stung and only served to make her blood boil hotter.

"I care about Weiss," she growled. "Enough to help save her life three times now. But you're right Mr. Schnee. If your idea of caring about someone is to keep them locked in the house, yelling at them and abusing them, then you're right. I don't care about Weiss like _you_ do, and I never _want_ to care about her like that."

Blake spit out the words, and as she did so, her hand curled into a fist around Weiss'. Her breath seethed white as she held his gaze with a challenge in her own.

. . .

Weiss could sense that this argument was about to turn physical if something didn't stop it quickly. If she let that happen, she'd never forgive herself.

But Blake's words warmed her heart, and the things she said were things Weiss hadn't realized until now. Blake really _had_ saved her life several times within the short time-span since she'd known her. And even before she'd known who Weiss was, Blake had messaged her blog repeatedly telling her all kinds of nice things.

Weiss really wouldn't have been here without her.

When her father was confronted with such things, he was speechless. His eyes were still angry, but he didn't have any words to refute Blake, proving that she was right about him.

Weiss held her breath as her father thought of what to say or do next.

But before he could speak, Weiss noticed another person rushing to them from the car. Her grip on Blake's arm slackened just a bit.

"Winter?"

. . .

Blake smiled as she saw that her words have an affect on Weiss' father. He stood in silence staring at her. His eyes still smoldered with fury. Blake could see the muscles in his jaw clenching as he thought of something to say.

But then a fourth person joined the scene, running towards the group from the car. The young woman shared the white hair and blue eyes of the Schnee family.

"Who's that, Weiss?" Blake asked warily. She assumed this person was on Mr. Schnee's side, being she came out of his car.

. . .

"She's… my sister…" Weiss mumbled, eyes glued to Winter. But she didn't seem to be angry at Weiss; rather, she seemed upset at their father.

Before he could say anything more, Winter reached them. She glanced at them each in turn, her expression a mixture of confusion and outrage. But ultimately she rounded on her father.

"Father, what is going on here?"

He snorted and glared at her. "Your sister is dating this girl, evidently, instead of doing her schoolwork."

Winter looked up at him, then back to the other two girls.

"I'm glad I came along after all," she said. "Father, this is ridiculous. Stop this at once. It doesn't matter who Weiss dates so long as they make her happy. And she certainly doesn't need your permission." She stepped closer to Blake and Weiss, putting a supportive hand on her sister's back to indicate she was on her side. "And how do you know she is sacrificing her schoolwork? She's still got grades at the top of her class."

Winter looked to Blake and met her eyes sternly.

"Do you love my sister?"

. . .

When Winter looked Blake in the eye and asked her this so calmly, Blake was taken aback after her shouting match with their father. Winter's clear-headedness was surprising, but welcome.

"Honestly…" Blake took a moment to think of her answer, to be sure she fully expressed herself. "Yes, I do. Weiss and I haven't been dating long, and I didn't even mean to fall in love with her. But I have, and I can't imagine the world without her."

She said it without wavering or faltering, clearly enough for all of them to hear.

. . .

Weiss whimpered at Blake's confession, instantly clutching onto the sleeve of her coat and burying her face in her girlfriend's shoulder. She started to cry shortly afterward, touched beyond words by Blake's revelation of her truthful and heartfelt emotions.

"Blake…" she mumbled. "M-Me, too. I didn't mean to either… but you've helped me so many times. You're always there for me. You're so kind and warm and loving. I love you so much…"

Winter watched the two girls with silent, fond eyes. She knew exactly what they were feeling.

It was then she turned her gaze on her father, who had fallen silent with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Do you see, Father? Do you see how badly Weiss needs this?" Winter kept her hand on her sister's back to help keep her on her feet. "Why is this such a horrible thing, Father?"

She wasn't surprised when he didn't give an answer, and Winter pressed on.

"I've got a girlfriend, too, Father. I'm only telling you now, but we've been dating for months. I hid this from you because I knew how you'd react. Are you going to tear me away from her as well?" she challenged.

. . .

Blake turned and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend warmly.

"I love you too, Weiss."

When she withdrew, she kept close to Weiss. A smile had formed on her lips as soon as she'd realized Winter was on their side, and the confession of her feelings for Weiss only made Blake feel all the more giddy. Mr Schnee didn't scare her at all.

Hearing that Weiss' elder sister had been hiding the exact same secret only made Blake all the more delighted.

"Weiss!" she whispered. "Did you know about that?"

. . .

Weiss lifted her face from where she presently was in Blake's arms. Her gaze went to her shocked father, her defiant sister, and then back to her shook her head, speaking softly as not to interrupt her sister.

"No…" she mumbled. "I had no idea she was dating someone..."

Clearly, her father hadn't the slightest clue either. Until now.

Winter tapped her shoe on the sidewalk, waiting for a response from him. Weiss watched as their father put a hand to his face and sighed.

"You… _you_ are dating someone as well?" he muttered.

Winter nodded calmly. "Yes. And she's the only reason I'm able to do my work and continue making an income. Without her, I would never be able to concentrate or have the motivation to do anything. Are you going to make me break up with her?"

Their father looked to Winter and then to Weiss, sighing in disbelief.

"Then… if your sister is dating someone, I presume you may as well..."

Weiss couldn't believe her ears. In a way, she was upset because he'd only said she could have this if her _sister_ did, because in their father's eyes, Winter was perfect and could make no mistakes.

But at the very least, this meant Weiss could continue seeing Blake from now on without fear.

. . .

Blake scoffed softly when she heard the man's answer.

"Oh?" she grunted under her breath, only loud enough for Weiss to hear. "So you're only allowed to do things if your sister does them first? I'm sure she's a wonderful person, but it's not right to let her actions set the guidelines for your life."

. . .

"Blake," Weiss said softly, squeezing her hand. "It's all right."

Her father gave them each one last disgruntled glare, clearly miffed about all of this. But he said nothing more. He merely turned away and headed back toward his car.

Winter lingered for a moment, sticking close to Blake and Weiss as they watched him go. She soon turned back to her younger sister, and pulled Weiss into a brief hug.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I never knew he was being so harsh on you. I won't let him do that any more. And... I'm sorry for not paying attention, Weiss. I'd get so caught up in my work I never even left my office half the time. I never let you know you could've come to me..."

"Winter..." Weiss sniffled softly as Winter embraced her, and it wasn't long before she was clinging to her sister, sobbing hard. "Thank you, Winter..."

She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt that - at long last - she was going to be all right. With Winter now on her side and unafraid to stand up to their father, Weiss knew she didn't have to do this alone anymore.

And of course she had Blake, too.

When Winter released her, Weiss went back to her girlfriend and hugged her as well, breathing sigh after sigh of relief as she finally started to calm down. Winter shared a glance with Blake and smiled.

"Thank you for looking after her when I couldn't."

. . .

Blake felt the adrenaline simmering down as she watched Mr. Schnee turn without a word and start walking back to his car. Weiss' warmth at her side allowed Blake to breathe easily again.

It was over. Now with both Weiss' and Winter's secrets revealed, their father wouldn't be able to suppress or control them any longer.

Blake was glad to let Weiss go into her sister's arms. But as soon as Winter let her go, Weiss returned to Blake wasting a second. Both girls breathed a sigh of relief before their lips came together softly.

When they parted, Blake looked up to Winter.

"I'm just happy I could be there for her, and that she's going to be all right now. I promise I'll keep doing everything I can do make her happy."

. . .

Winter seemed satisfied with that. She gave Blake an appreciative nod before turning and heading off.

Weiss watched her go, still clearly baffled by everything that had just happened here. She was still shaking a little bit and clung to Blake for support.

"My… My father just… approved us," she mumbled. "A-And Winter, she… has a girlfriend, too?" After a minute, Weiss finally shook her head, gladly accepting the reality at hand. With another sigh, she leaned into Blake."So this means… maybe I can live my dream after all…"

She reached up to cup Blake's cheeks.

"Rather… I've got a new dream. And it's already come true."

She kissed Blake's lips tenderly and hugged her tight.

. . .

Blake smiled into the kiss and returned it fully.

"I'm glad it's come true. Mine has, too."

She returned the embrace with just as much warmth and affection.

When all was said and done, they walked back to Blake's house on the snowy winter path, keeping comfortably warm in spite of the season.

* * *

 **A/N: Who saw that coming? I mean, most of you guessed there'd be a confrontation with Papa Schnee, but I remember my friend and I had wanted to include Winter in it too.**

 **We'll wrap it up next week with a little epilogue!**

 **Please review!**


	14. Epilogue

**So thankful to everyone who has read thus far to the end! I'm so glad you've all enjoyed it! This is just a quick little wrap-up!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Epilogue.

After the incident, Weiss and Blake decided to head back to the latter's house. Weiss was still a little shaken after the confrontation with her father, even if it had turned out in their favor. They were both tired from the ordeal, so they decided to take some time to relax.

Weiss ended up calling her father to explain she'd be sleeping over at Blake's again that night. His response was a grunt, but it was an affirmative one, indicating she may do as she pleased.

After a small dinner with Blake and her parents, Weiss thanked them for letting her stay. She changed into some of Blake's spare pajamas, the shirt and pants rather big on her, but she didn't mind at all - they were warm and smelled like Blake.

She'd just finished changing in the bathroom, putting her own clothes aside as she entered Blake's room again. Her girlfriend was sitting on her bed, waiting for Weiss to come in. But Weiss realized her own hands and feet weren't even visible past the long sleeves of the clothes she was wearing, and she blushed as she stepped into the room.

"Blake…? Do these look okay?"

. . .

Blake was beyond relieved that Weiss accepted her offer to spend the night after today's ordeal. Blake didn't let it show, but she was ecstatic to be able to spend another night with her.

After dinner, Blake lent Weiss some clothes and had been waiting in her room for her girlfriend when she finally entered. The clothes were too big for Weiss, but it just made her look all the more irresistible. Blake blushed upon seeing her in them.

"You look adorable, Weiss."

. . .

The compliment had heat rushing to Weiss' cheeks within seconds, and her heart kicked into overdrive.

"Oh, You're just saying that…" she mumbled, covering her face with her excess inches of sleeves.

Slowly, she crossed the room to where Blake was waiting for her on the bed, sitting up and chuckling all the while. Weiss pouted a little bit as she neared her girlfriend. Blake silently invited her to sit close by, opening her arms to Weiss.

Weiss sat down in her lap, willing to enjoy their alone time for as long as possible. She looped her arms about Blake's neck and shoulders, burying her face into her girlfriend's collar with a sigh. Her chest pressed close to Blake's, and past the layers of clothing, she could feel the other girl's pulse, slow and gentle. Weiss slowed her breathing, taking in Blake's scent, letting it fill her lungs. When she next spoke, her voice was reserved and small.

"I'm still just… _so_ relieved…" she murmured. It must've been more than she'd initially thought, because Weiss felt small tears slip down her cheeks. She sighed again, clinging tighter to Blake in the process.

. . .

Blake sighed in bliss as Weiss curled into her arms. She was so warm and soft. Blake nuzzled into her hair and wrapped both arms around her waist

"So am I." Blake felt Weiss sigh again and heard a small sob. "Hey, it's all right." She tilted Weiss' head back a little and kissed the girl. When she pulled away, she looked at Weiss with a smirk. "Sorry I'm feeling a little proud that I get to have to all to myself tonight, especially since he doesn't like it."

. . .

Weiss let the kiss to calm her down a bit, and she held it for as long as she could before pulling back again. Resting her chin on Blake's shoulder, she wrapped her legs around the girl's sides and squeezed her tighter.

"He's always been like that…" she mumbled. "It's been rather uncomfortable to have to live with him, but I got fairly used to it over time. It was just a matter of avoiding him when he was in his worst moods." A brief moment of silence passed before she continued. "But now… hopefully he won't be like that anymore. And… if he is, I promise to tell you about it, Blake. I don't want to deal with it alone anymore…"

She glanced down over Blake's shoulder at her own right arm. The sleeve rolled back to reveal the long gash Weiss had inflicted on herself only a few weeks ago. It was mostly healed by now, but she still looked away, once more tucking her face into Blake's hair.

"But no matter how bad it gets… I promise not to hurt myself anymore."

. . .

The silence stretched for a moment before Blake felt Weiss shudder slightly. Blake tightened her hold on the girl to secure her.

"Good. I don't want you to hurt yourself, and you shouldn't want to either, Weiss."

Blake leaned back, pulling the shorter girl with her. When she landed on her back, she balanced Weiss on top of herself, reaching up to brush her bangs aside. Blake cupped Weiss' cheek and rubbed her thumb over the last of the tears as they fell.

. . .

She felt their weight shifting, and Weiss willingly fell forward onto Blake, their stomachs pressing together lightly. She cracked a smile, bracing her forearms on either side of Blake's head. Letting out a sigh, she rested her forehead against Blake's and closed her eyes for a moment, breathing her in as she felt her own hair forming a screen on either side of them.

Her lips found their way to Blake's, capturing them in a long, slow kiss, her mouth moving in time with her girlfriend's. Weiss moved her hands to cup both of Blake's cheeks, the backs of her fingers brushing lightly over soft skin.

Once the kiss had ended, Weiss laid herself down on top of Blake, resting her weight fully against the other girl. With a sigh, Weiss nuzzled her face into the side of the dark-haired girl's neck.

"Are you ready for bed?"

. . .

Blake smiled as big as she could manage, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. She nodded.

"I am. It's been a long day. I'm so happy you're here now with me."

She gazed up fondly into those blue eyes - blue like the winter skies. Blake hadn't really gotten a solid moment to relish her surging affection for Weiss until now. Now that the threat of Weiss' father was out of the way, Blake was able to let her unbridled affection for the girl run free.

She guided Weiss' mouth down to her own and kissed her one more time.

"I love you, Weiss."

. . .

Weiss giggled softly into the kiss as the last of her sobs faded away. Her heart swelled and sang like a freed bird in her chest.

"Me, too," she whispered. "I love you, Blake. Goodnight."

She allowed herself to relax at long last, balancing herself on top of Blake, feeling the soothing hands rubbing all up and down her back and threading through her hair. She embraced Blake loosely, closing her eyes and resting her cheek against her girlfriend's collar. She listened to the faint thumping beneath her ear, her own body rising and falling slowly in time with Blake's breathing.

Weiss reflecting not only on the hectic events of the day, but of the past several days as well.

They'd met online, by accident in school, connected by the anonymous and casual conversations brought on by their keyboards. They had been lucky enough to find one another and come together in the most dire of times to turn scary moments into softer ones.

Weiss had finally found something good in her life. A lot of good things, actually. Enough to ensure she'd never want to hurt herself again. It would still take time to heal, but she'd get there with Blake's help.

She drifted off before long to the feeling of Blake's gentle hands and quiet pulse, knowing she'd find them again in the morning.

 **[Fin].**

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, everyone! I did a LOT of editing on this before posting it, so I'm very glad people enjoyed it all the way through. I honestly, definitely didn't expect so many people to read and enjoy this, so I'm delighted!**

 **Here's to more! Not sure which story I will start posting next, but keep an eye out! I'll also have some brand new RWBY fics coming soon! Thank you!**

 **Please review!**


End file.
